Before It Turned To Dust
by MayFairy
Summary: What if back on Gallifrey there was a friend the Doctor had abandoned? Someone who had loved him? This is their story from the very beginning, of how they found and lost each other many times across the centuries before the War took it all. Prequel to the Halfway Out of the Dark Series. Doctor/OC, OC/OC, 3/Jo, 4/SJ, 4/Romana, all Doctors but mostly Theta, 4, 5, and 8.
1. The Academy

**This story is a prequel to my 'Halfway Out of the Dark' series, the first story of which is Deafening Silence. It doesn't matter which you read first, but the series itself does get updated more frequently. **

**At the beginning of this story, we will see quite a bit of jumping through time with scenes, but they'll slow down eventually. **

**For the majority of the beginning of this fic, in the Academy era, I will be using the names Theta Sigma, Koschei and Ushas for the Doctor, the Master and the Rani respectively, as those were their names/nicknames at the time. **

* * *

They had all talked about it, of course.

Wondering what such a thing could be like, how it would feel. But all the older students had refused to divulge anything, all of them getting a faraway and slightly frightened look in their eyes at the mention of it. It wasn't exactly what you would call encouraging, though she was determined to in the very least _appear _strong. Whether or not this would be a show was yet to be determined.

The eight year old, small for her age, walked through the unusual darkness that was so different from the lights in the citadel that were put on at night, her regulation boots softly brushing the soil and grass that though currently colourless in the dim light, would normally have been red. All the same, actually being amongst it and out in the open air was almost cause for panic in itself. She forced her eyes to avoid straying to look at the burning lamps that lit the ritualistic dirt path, and focused them on the circle directly in the middle of her path, the circle that was steadily becoming larger and larger.

Feeling the eyes of the wardens on her back, she stepped forward so she was directly in front of it while keeping her eyes on the Seal of Rassilon that was located below the Schism. There were many stories of what happened when one looked into it. There were rumours of a small few who went mad upon seeing the sight...

Madness sounded terrifying and like a thing she was unable to imagine properly in her head. She hoped to be inspired like most of the greatest Time Lords were. Running away would be shameful, but preferable to madness by far. Unable to put it off any longer, the young blonde girl raised her head and looked into the Untempered Schism. She saw places. Gallifrey, the seven systems, different worlds of all different shades and hues, and a strange blue and green planet she did not recognise.

She saw the stars and everything beyond.

She heard sounds, a robotic voice that spoke in a monotone but was incredibly frightening for a reason she couldn't pinpoint. She heard the wheezing noise that the Type 40 TARDIS's made, and the sounds of the universe itself.

She saw faces, the large number of faces that seemed to only belong to a small amount of people.

A boy with brown hair, and a boy with blonde. An old man with white hair and a suit. The faces kept playing through her vision, and she knew she saw people from her future. She saw a woman, and a woman who came after her, and a woman who came after the last, and it went on. She could feel in her gut that this woman was herself.

Then she looked into the Time Vortex itself and not the things it was showing her. She saw how Time spiralled and twisted in a way no one could control. It was not flawless but still perfect, unable to be improved. She saw the timelines of everything and how they converged on each other before pulling away.

If she had not been so immersed in what she was seeing she would have felt hope. These things inspired her, told her to take full advantage of who she could be. Her heart swelled, and for a moment she could feel an echo of another, the promise of things to come.

Inspiration was her destiny.

Or so she thought.

She made the mistake of going deeper, into the structure of the vortex itself, and saw how infinite and dangerous it was. The raw power of such a thing began to overwhelm her. It was predictable but not in the way most would imagine it. Anything could go wrong and the entire universe could collapse.

She felt her heart beat faster as her brain fought and failed to find a way to deal with the frightening and overwhelming knowledge.

In the end she did the only thing she could.

She ripped her eyes away from the Vortex and ran in the opposite direction as faster as she could, running as though it would mean she could forget what she had seen. For the first time in her life, but nowhere near the last, Aliyanadevoralundar ran away.

The details of her future were already beginning to slip away, her subconscious shutting out things it knew she was not allowed to know yet. She ran past the guards, trying to get as far away as she could.

She did not get as far as she had hoped before they caught her, but at least she was now allowed to leave and never return.

* * *

The fair-haired girl entered the huge library of the Prydonian Academy. She travelled over to the old fashioned book shelves, tracing her fingers over the spines of the many books at her disposal. Now at the age of seventeen, Aliyanadevoralundar was not quite a child, but despite her mostly grown appearance, she was far from an adult. She was at her browsing for several minutes before a voice from behind her made her jump.

"If you're stuck, I can give you some recommendations."

Aliyanadevoralundar turned to see a boy who physically matched her age - though that told her nothing about his true age. His dark green eyes were watching her with friendly curiosity from underneath his slightly shaggy dark hair.

"Oh, uh, I think I'm probably okay, I'm just having a look, I'm sure I'll find something," She said, somewhat shyly.

"Are you sure?" She nodded, and he smiled before giving her a slight bow, as was tradition upon first meetings.

"Theta Sigma of Lungbarrow."

She frowned. "That's an odd name."

"Well, it's a nickname - variation on my proper one. But I like it much better."

"Oh."

"So, what's your name?"

It was her turn to bow, so she did. "Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia," She said, with a hint of pride. Long names were almost always a sign of status, so it was a name to be proud of. Though, for all she knew, his birth name was in fact long too.

"Blimey. That's a mouthful. Do you mind if I called you something more manageable?" He suggested.

The girl frowned in confusion. "But why?" She asked, not familiar with the concept of nicknames, other than the one her mother had used for her in her childhood.

"Because it's easier, that's all. Not to mention it saves time and energy," He explained, shrugging.

Unsure of what to say, she just decided to appease him for the moment. "Okay then."

"Good," He said with a smile. "I was thinking...Aliya."

"Al-ay-a?" The girl repeated it, testing it on her tongue. "Aliya. Okay." Theta Sigma grinned at her.

"You look worried."

"My parents said that it was wasn't proper to change one's name, that I should be proud of the name I have."

"Coming from Arpexia, I'm not surprised. But you need to have your own opinions," Theta told her, before tilting his head and looking at her with curiosity. "How old are you, anyway? I don't think I've seen you around this part of the school before, which means you must be quite new."

"17," She said, "I know, I'm a baby."

"Just a little bit," He didn't try to hide his smirk, but it was not unkind.

"What about you?" She seemed wary of the answer, and with good reason.

"216," He admitted, and she frowned.

"Shouldn't you be out of here by now?" She said.

"I'm on my second try," Theta winked at Aliya, showing her that he didn't mind it one bit. "So is Koschei, sort of." He saw the questioning look on her face and led her over to a table where a blonde boy had his back to them. Theta hit him over the head lightly with a book he was carrying before swinging around the table to sit opposite him, gesturing for Aliya to do the same. The blonde boy's eyes flicked up long enough for him to glare at Theta before returning to the pages of his book as one of his hands tapped repeatedly on the table in a continuous drumming rhythm.

"Making friends?" The blonde Koschei asked, not sounding remotely surprised. When his friend answered in the affirmative, he just sighed. "Must you?"

"Be friendly for once," Theta suggested, "This is Aliya. She's a new junior."

"Hello. Koschei, was it?" Aliya smiled at Koschei, who looked at her long enough to nod politely before going back to his book. Theta just ignored him, as it apparently was very regular behavior for him.

"He'll come around eventually, he just doesn't like bothering with strangers," The brunette boy explained to his new acquaintance. Soon, however, the three of them were conversing normally, and within a few weeks were joking like the best of friends, which in the end they were.

* * *

Theta Sigma watched the young woman in front of him. Despite being two hundred years his junior she showed a level of maturity he was fairly sure he would never have. Then she poked her tongue out at him, and he decided they weren't as different as it may seem.

"Cheeky," He said accusingly, and she laughed, which only made him want to see her do it again. After six months of friendship, she was finally beginning to shed her conventional values and was beginning to grasp the idea that she was allowed her own, even if they didn't match those of the society around them.

"Why thank you very much," She said with a mischievous smile. Theta shook his head slightly in amusement before leaning over the library table they were on opposite sides on to meet her eyes.

"Look at that, we've corrupted ourselves an Arpexian," He mused with satisfaction, and something sparked in her. She too leant over the table until their faces were mere inches from each other.

"Oh really, Theta? You sound so sure about that," She said with a teasing tone. He pulled his face backwards and lowered himself properly into his seat again.

"What do you think, Koschei?" He asked his friend who was watching them over a piece of homework. "We've given her a nickname, told her about our secret group of potential renegades and degraded her to tongue poking. Have we corrupted her yet?"

Koschei regarded the blonde with an unfathomable expression. "I don't know, I could certainly think of some other ways." His eyes were piercing and she couldn't help but feel almost uncomfortable. Theta didn't pick up on it at all and merely continued with the conversation.

"You're right," He began thoughtfully, pushing his own homework away from him and leaning back in his chair. "There is still some stuff she could do."

"Such as?" Aliya asked with false interest, just hoping for something that would distract her from the way Koschei was looking at her.

"Steal something. Something important, that will get you in trouble if you are caught," Theta challenged, and Aliya turned thoughtful, before an idea sparked in her eyes, and she grinned.

"So, I just steal something important…" She said slowly, leaning over the table again as Theta did the same. Koschei watched with a frown but neither of them noticed. "Something that will get me in trouble…"

"Basically," Theta replied with a cheeky smile, but he was curious. What was she planning?

"Done." She pulled away quickly, pushing out of her seat and standing safely on her side of the table, a scroll in her hand and a triumphant smirk on her face. Theta looked down to the table and saw his homework was gone before looking back to the rolled up scroll which was obviously his.

Koschei laughed heartily at Theta's shock and disadvantage as Aliya laughed as well. She looked at Koschei when she heard the sound, and bent down over the table so that his green eyes met her own. They stared at each other for several seconds and she took advantage of him being distracted. She snatched the scroll and the ornate writing on it from under his arm and pulled away, laughing at his blatant surprise and anger. She smirked at both of them before walking out of the library as fast as she could.

The two boys looked at each other and an expression of mutual agreement passed between them. They rose hastily out of their seats and pursed the girl as quickly as possible. Once out in the corridors, they could hear her running away, but when they followed the sound, they came to a fork. They took one path each and soon Theta heard a boot squeak from nearby.

"Looks like I picked the right side," Theta said. "Good game, Ali, but can we have our homework back now?" He walked around the corner to see the blonde girl staring at him from the other end of the passage.

"If you want it, you'll have to come and get it." She taunted, and both of them grinned.

"That could be arranged," He replied before charging after her, but she merely poked her tongue out at him again before disappearing around a corner, her emerald skirts being the last thing he saw. When he reached the corner he saw she had not gotten far, and he pushed himself harder, the distance between them closing quickly. When he caught up with her, he cornered her against a wall. She remained defiant to the end, holding the scrolls behind her back, keeping them safely trapped between her and the wall.

"Give me the scroll," He commanded, grinning.

"No," She said flatly, and held her strong gaze under his.

"Then you leave me no choice," He smirked, and Aliya looked a little nervous. His fingers attacked her midsection, tickling her for all it was worth. She squealed loudly and almost dropped the scrolls.

"What – ah! - are you doing, Theta? You are – ah! Stop it, I can't bear it – crazy!" She said, giggling and squirming as his one of his hands travelled upwards and attacked the revealed and smooth skin of her underarm which was bare thanks to the cap sleeves of her dress. "This is highly – ah! – inappropriate, stop or I'll…"

The tickling and talking ceased abruptly as he pulled her into a nook in the wall like one in a castle that would hold a suit of armour. His hands had stopped their infuriating play and were now clamped over her mouth. Theta pressed himself into the wall, pulling her with him. The sound of two Professor's footsteps and voices were now imminent nearby. The two youngsters watched the robed men pass their hiding spot without so much of glancing in their direction, and did not breathe again until they were sure they were gone, and both thanked Rassilon for the blessing of a respiratory bypass.

"Thank you," Aliya breathed to him, and he smiled against her golden hair, although she could not see it. "If they had found you doing…what _were_ you doing, anyway?" She asked him, realising she knew no name for the painless torture he had put her through.

"Tickling. Some primitive cultures use it for fun as playful torment," He replied.

"I can see why," She said wryly, "But if they had found you _tickling _me, then we would have both been in big trouble. Everything we do these days is considered highly improper."

"So?" Theta said, and pushed a curl of hair from her neck, and Aliya stiffened slightly, perhaps realising how close they were for the first time. For a while they both stood there, unmoving and basking in the closeness they shared, though neither were sure what it meant.

Soon, Koschei had come calling and they hurried out of their nook and pretended nothing had happened.

Aliya was forced to give the homework back, and all was forgiven. As they walked back to the library to continue their study, her mind was clearly at work, and so Theta inquired as to what she was thinking about.

At his question, she just smiled. "I just never expected to have friends like you and Koschei. But the last six months have been the best of my life, so I'm not complaining."

* * *

**If the hints of romance seem too sudden, remember we jumped six months and the point kind of is that Theta and Aliya immediately got along (they had to at SOME point in their life haha). Pretty different from how they are in the future, but everyone has to start somewhere, and they start like this.**

**Thanks a bunch,**

**-MayFairy :)**


	2. Claiming Kisses

The dorm room area was huge, with large and reasonably comfortable separate rooms for each student. There were three levels of the huge space, each with balconies – with ornately carved railings - leading all the way around the levels on all four equal sides, leaving a large square hole in the middle that could be used to look up or down at the other levels.

Aliya and Koschei walked side by side on the way back to the dorms. Theta and Ushas were somewhere behind, bickering away as usual – Theta playfully, Ushas irritably – so the two blondes had purposely strode ahead to get away from the pointless and unceasing argument. Eventually, the two of them reached Aliya's door.

"Goodnight," She said with a grin. She hugged him, her nose buried in the side of his childlike round curls - which she had recently learned were actually dyed blonde from his natural brown. Hugging had been something it had taken her a couple of years to get used to, with it being such a large show of affection , something Time Lords – particularly politically betrothed ones like herself – were not really supposed to do. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, same old boring day."

"Oh, I don't know. There are ways to make it more interesting," Koschei said smoothly. Neither of them had really moved back much after the hug, and there was only a few inches between them. Aliya became aware of their proximity and stepped back subconsciously, almost leaning against her door. Something new resided in his pale green eyes, and she felt a strong anticipation. But for what?

"Like what?" She asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"Like this," He replied, and took hold of her shoulders firmly to close the gap between them, lips on hers.

Aliya froze for about half a second in surprise, but then she relaxed and gave him her unspoken agreement. The kiss was tender, though she could feel some underlying element in it that she could not identify. It was not long before he pulled away, and met her eyes with triumph in his own.

"Just something for you to think about," He said in a low tone, before abruptly turning away and walking off. Aliya touched her still tingling lips, and smiled slightly to herself as she opened the door and entered her room.

* * *

Theta Sigma watched his two blonde friends from a distance. When he saw how close they were standing, all of Ushas's grumblings stopped registering in his brain. The suspense was unbearable, and just as bad as the punched feeling in his heart as Koschei bent his head and kissed Aliya.

And just when he thought it couldn't get any worse; Aliya kissed him back. Their lips were locked in a reasonably chaste but tender caress, and after what seemed like an eternity to Theta, they finally broke apart. Koschei whispered something to her before walking off, and Theta saw her touch her lips absently as she smiled before going through her door.

He had kissed her. She had liked it. Even worse, she had returned the kiss.

Koschei had just laid a claim, which he had no right to argue against, as she clearly liked Koschei. But the thought of Aliya being with someone else weighed heavy in his heart.

_As long as he makes her happy, _He thought. _If my two best friends are happy, how can I begrudge them of it?_

Or so he tried to tell himself.

He was snapped out of his own angst filled thoughts when he realised Ushas was still having a one-sided argument with him. "Just shut up, Ushas," He said impatiently.

"Just because he stole your girl doesn't mean you have to get snappy with _me._" She scowled at him before turning on her heel and walking away.

He sighed heavily and leaned on the rail of the walkway balcony. "But she wasn't my girl," He murmured, "That's the whole problem."

* * *

Aliya and Koschei sat at one end of the table in the Deca room. It was not in session, but merely being used by four of its members and the one girl who had become almost an honourary member. At the other end of the table, Theta and Drax were playing an incredibly intense game of Sepulchasm, while Ushas sat some way in between with her homework and constantly sent a glare in reply to anything resembling a smile Theta sent her way, something that was becoming rarer as the game progressed and Theta needed to concentrate.

"Koschei, why does Ushas hate Theta so much?" She asked quietly, fiddling idly with his fingers, as their hands were joined under the table.

His mouth turned upwards in a smirk. "They had a potential thing a couple of decades ago. After several instances of him standing her up, he ended it badly, and she's hated him since." He shrugged, but was anything but casual in the way his thumb was slowly massaging her palm.

"So does she wish they were still together?" Aliya asked in confusion. It didn't seem like Ushas at all. Koschei looked amused.

"Rassilon, no! She's just mad at him for being so shit at handling it, and loves any excuse to hate him. She'll hate him until one of them dies, I'm afraid," He chuckled. "She likes to hold a grudge."

"Even after regeneration?"

"Probably. Ushas will never change _that _much."

"Hmm," She said, unable to form coherent words when his mouth was suddenly smothering her own and any sound attempting to come out of it. Finally he pulled away. "What was that for?" Aliya asked with a smile and he raised a blonde eyebrow.

"Does there have to be a reason?" He said, looking her over. "You're tempting, Luna."

Her brow furrowed at the unfamiliar name. "Luna?"

"So Theta is allowed to give you nicknames, but I'm not?" He demanded half playfully and she shook her head quickly.

"No, I didn't mean-" She bit her lip and paused. "It just surprised me, is all."

"Do you like it, _Luna_?" He asked, leaning in closer to her.

She liked it a lot. The way the name sounded as it rolled off his lips, the way he said it, like it was the name of some forgotten craving. She answered by kissing him, ignoring the protests of the other occupants of the room.

When they broke apart, and Aliya ducked her head in slight embarrassment. A large part of her tried to tell her that any kind of kissing wasn't something she should be doing, let alone such blatant ones in public. But she pointedly ignored it, and blamed Theta and Koschei for the ability to do so.

After a while she looked up from under her hair to look at Theta. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. She frowned, wondering what was wrong. He was looking at her almost wistfully before it vanished from his eyes and he was back to playing his game.

She hadn't done anything wrong as far as she could, so why did she feel guilty when she met his eyes?

* * *

The two young Time Lords approached Aliya's door, and Koschei took a swift look around for any witnesses before following the young woman inside. He grinned at her, and she blushed. He closed the gap between them in one stride, kissing her briefly before breaking the contact, though kept his mouth lingering by her ear.

"So what now?" He whispered, and she pushed him away gently.

"I get changed into my nightgown, that's what. After all that running and sneaking around we've been doing in the last couple of hours – and I'm blaming you and Theta for that – I'm tired." She opened her elaborate set of drawers and pulled out a long white nightgown, before turning away from him and walking into the ensuite bathroom to get ready for bed.

Koschei looked around the room appraisingly, noting the differences between hers and his. The room was not as luxurious or large - but then most Houses were not as wealthy as Oakdown. But she had a large and comfortable looking bed with white covers that was round like all Gallifreyan beds, and elaborately decorative furniture. The bookshelf took up the entire wall opposite the door that wasn't already taken up by the bathroom. He took off some of the more irritating articles of clothing such as his shoes and socks, plus his jacket, before reclining on the bed as if he owned it.

Aliya came out of the bathroom, wearing the nightgown that went all the way to the floor and covered her arms. Her hair was loose, free of the headpiece she wore during the day as Koschei had never seen, the ringlets cascading all the way down to the small of her back. Her blue and green eyes - a product of a dominant complete heterochromia gene in her mother's House - regarded him with amusement before rolling in exasperation.

She went over to the drawers which were opposite the bed and delicately picked up her hairbrush from the top, getting ready to begin the lengthy task of brushing her hair. After sitting down on the end of the bed, she began to run the brush through. She could feel Koschei's eyes on her.

"Why are you here, Koschei?" Her tone was slightly teasing and casual, but both of them could hear the curiosity that lay underneath.

"Because I want to be," He said equally casually, but something underneath his own words made something inside her stir. "Now give me the brush." His words confused her.

"But-"

"Just give it to me." His voice had a ringing note of authority that caused her insides to stir again. Aliya felt him shift closer to her on the bed and she wordlessly passed the brush back to him. She could feel his proximity, and knew they were only a foot or so apart. He immediately threw the brush on the floor, but before she could protest he had begun pressing kisses to her neck, and his arms had such a tight hold on her that she couldn't move. His fingers were pushing her hair to the side, exposing her left shoulder and the side of her neck. They traced gently down the line, and his lips soon followed the path once more. She closed her eyes sub-consciously, and inhaled deeply, causing him to smirk against the soft skin of her shoulder.

"Luna," He said softly. He pulled her closer to him, her body brushing ever so slightly against his but not quite together. His hands moved over her hips, caressing her stomach through the thin material before travelling upwards. Her own hands grabbed his and pushed them away, ignoring her body's protests.

"No, Koschei," She breathed, her eyes still shut.

"Why not?" He asked, his mouth at her ear, his words sensual.

"As you know perfectly well, I'm to be married to the Defender of Heartshaven when I graduate. My father made it clear that I was not to share anyone else's bed." Aliya hoped she sounded more assertive than she felt.

"That's horseshit and you know it! Like the Defender is going to care. Are you going to listen to your father, do everything he says?" Koschei asked her, almost angry now.

"I must!" She argued, trying to make him see something she knew he would not. His mouth returned to her ear, making her back arch slightly.

"So that's it, then? You're going to do everything Daddy says? You're going to let him tell you how to live your life, who you can't talk to, who you can't be with? Daddy's baby girl." His words were mocking and angry and cruel, and made Aliya feel stupid, young and small. Aliya knew in that moment he was right, that she would defy her father again and again. Koschei always had been far too…persuasive.

Hypnotic.

He began kissing her neck again, this time more urgently, his kisses hot on her skin while his hands ran up her arms. She twisted her neck around and tilted her head up towards him, and when he saw the acceptance he had known she would give him he captured her mouth in a hungry kiss, one far more passionate than he had yet to give her before then. Aliya felt her body slowly turning to face his and his turning with hers before pushing her down against the mattress, her head hitting the pillows with a thump that she didn't hear.

"Say you' want me," He whispered in between kisses down her neck and collarbone.

"I want you," She breathed, and with that his mouth came crashing back down on hers, and he pulled the nightgown over her head before attending to his own clothing. Their bare skin pressed together as their lips met once again, and neither thought much of anything else for quite a while.

* * *

"I don't know how I'm going to explain this on my wedding night," She said thoughtfully quite a while later, leaning against his chest.

"You won't need to," Koschei assured her while stroking her long hair that trailed down her back. "Regardless of what your _daddy _says, there isn't a need for that sort of thing. And he certainly won't be staying 'pure' for you."

She didn't like how he referred to her father in such a derogatory way. But she didn't have the energy to argue.

"I hope so…" She sighed.

"Don't know why you're so worried about it, myself," He said casually, and she sat up to scowl at him.

"Just because you and Theta and Ushas, and practically the whole Deca plan to run off to the stars, doesn't mean all of them will, and it doesn't mean that I will," She said fiercely, getting up from the bed and rummaging through her drawers in a search for clothing. "Some of us have to stay, and face society. I can't take risks like you can!"

He rather liked it in the very rare moments when she got feisty, and was eyeing the bare curves of her back with approval.

He too rose from the bed, but with different intentions. He ran his finger lightly down the length of her spine and felt her shiver under his touch. He spun her around and pulled her back to the bed, kissing her roughly. When he pulled away for breath, she scowled at him but did the opposite of push him away.

"Damn you, Koschei," She muttered before kissing him back.

* * *

"So go through it without me."

"Activate the door lock. Enter in the co-ordinates... twist the atom accelerator, pull the dematerialisation lever, activate the inertial damper, pull the space/time throttle."

"And to land?"

"Throttle back the space-time throttle, pull back the dematerialisation lever and pull both of the handbrakes."

"Very good."

Theta and Aliya circled the console of the training TT capsule. Theta had volunteered to tutor her on capsule flying, claiming he knew exactly what he was doing. To Aliya, his methods half made sense, but she could not help but feel there was more to it.

However, he was her best friend, so she trusted him. Most of the time, anyway. As Koschei never hesitated to point out, Theta Sigma certainly had a way of thinking he was the absolute best at everything while really he was pretty mediocre.

"So you think I've got it?" Her voice was hopeful.

"You're as good as me now," He assured her, and paused. "Almost."

She giggled and hit him in the arm lightly. "You're so full of it." She accused playfully.

"Yeah, because your boyfriend is so much better," He said with a laugh. Aliya smiled at the truth in his words, but the thought of Koschei silenced her.

"We're okay, aren't we?" She asked suddenly, and he smiled softly at her.

"Of course. Why would you think otherwise?" He replied tenderly.

"I don't know," She blurted out, "Koschei and me, you're okay with it, aren't you?" His expression dropped a little.

"I don't see what it has to do with me," He said, his green eyes slightly colder.

"But it has everything to do with you. We're friends, and you should be okay with it!" Aliya argued, stepping closer to him. His face warmed again, his eyes like pools of dark jade.

"Ali…"He whispered, reaching his fingers out to brush a wisp of hair behind her ear. "Are you happy?" The question hung in the air between them like a dense cloud.

"Yes," She answered truthfully after a few seconds, "More than I have ever been."

"Then how could I not be okay with it?" Theta said kindly. Relief washed over Aliya and it showed through the smile creeping onto her face. "Now come here." He pulled her into a tight hug, and she smiled into his shoulder.

"Thank you, Theta."

They exited the training capsule, and wandered the Academy in search of Koschei. Finally they found him moping around the music suite, touching the percussion instruments with an undecided expression on his handsome face.

"What are you doing in here, Koschei?" Aliya laughed.

"I was just looking…at drums…" He said almost absently, and she noticed his fingers tapping a four beat rhythm on the sides of one of the drum barrels. It was not an entirely new concept to her, as he often tapped the drum beat on her skin, whether it be her hand or back or shoulder. Still, she couldn't say she didn't find it a little worrying.

"You and your drums, Koschei," Theta shook his head mockingly. "You need to except that you're crazy and they're in your head."

Aliya disagreed with Theta, but did not say so. She knew the beat was real. In those intimate moments, when their very minds just barely brushed each other's, she could hear them, the drums calling Koschei to something, something she could not help but fear was sinister.

Koschei opened his mouth and before he could come out with some snappy retort Aliya kissed him to shut him up and was successful. As the kiss grew more openly passionate, Theta Sigma could no longer watch and left the room abruptly.

His friends did not notice for a number of minutes. Aliya would have felt guilty if it had not been for Koschei's manipulative kisses that kept her mind off the other boy.

In the end, it was a passing Professor that brought them to their senses. They fled the room laughing silently, feeling like the misbehaving school children they were.


	3. Anger and Jealousy

"We're going to get caught!" Aliya laughed, and wondered to herself why she was so unconcerned about it.

"Stop worrying, will you? It'll be fine." Koschei shushed her as he accessed the panels that would get out of the Citadel.

"Don't worry Ali, we've done this before," Theta assured the girl. He put his arm around her waist and held her to him when he saw her wrapping her arms around herself hoping her expansive sleeves would keep her warm.

Koschei continued to work on the panel but took a glance behind him at his friends.

"Hands off," He warned Theta jokingly, and his friend chuckled.

"Just get through there, and you can have her," He replied, earning him an elbow in the ribs from the girl being discussed. "Ow!"

"I'm not a piece of property, you know," She said patronisingly. Koschei moved away from the panel, now finished, and pulled her from Theta's arms to whirl her around the small space in a strange dance.

"On the contrary, Luna, you are a most exquisite piece of property any man would enjoy possessing," He told her as he moved her to the now open door, standing behind her while she looked outside. "Now look at that view, the Low Town."

"Impressive," Aliya said with a rare hint of sarcasm as she looked at the path to the rather shabby looking town where the non-Time Lord Gallifreyans lived.

"Oh come on you two, or they'll think we're not coming and get started without us." Theta said, for some reason looking a little irritated.

The three of them left the Capitol and started down the tidy path that went through the red grass that held only a little colour because of the darkness of the night. The boys noticed the awed expression on their friend's face and began inquiring about it.

"What? Never had gravel below your fancy boots, Miss Arpexia?" Koschei teased.

"I've never been outside the Citadel before besides Inititation," Aliya said, "As you both know perfectly well. I can't quite take it in." She looked back at the massive dome behind them before continuing down the path, walking between the two of them and holding both of their hands.

By the time the trio had reached the centre of Low Town, the party had gotten into full swing already. Aliya had been busy staring at all of the primitive houses made of wood and stone, and all the oil lamps that lit the streets. But the square in the middle of the town was bustling with activities. Shabogans were dancing around a large bonfire in the middle of the square, to upbeat and cheerful music being played by a group of musicians in a corner. Some of their instruments looked like less advanced versions of ones she knew from the Citadel, others were completely foreign.

But also the dancing. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Not formal or slow, with precise posture and movements. This was erratic and loud and _fast_...but also looked infinitely more fun.

When one of the Shabogans noticed the arrivals he roared with excitement and crossed over to them.

"Good to see you two! Who's your friend?"

"This is Aliya," Theta introduced, "Aliya, this is our good friend Torgan."

"Good to see that they've converted another one to their ways," Torgan said with a wolfish grin. "Welcome to Low Town."

"Thank you," She replied with a smile.

"But come now, no time for chit chat. We're missing the fun." Torgan led them over to the outside of a tavern on the edge of the square, and bent down to where he had a large container of small flasks, which he handed to each of the newcomers. Theta and Koschei both took theirs enthusiastically and had a drink immediately, while Aliya eyed hers with wary indecision.

Koschei smirked and took another swig of his drink before stepping forward and kissing her without warning, letting her taste the drink on his lips. Torgan gave a booming laugh full of approval.

"Now you know it tastes good. So drink!" Koschei told her. She took a large gulp and smiled when she was done.

"There's a girl," Torgan said. "New to drinking, is she?"

"Little Ali's first drink, definitely cause for celebration." Koschei grinned idiotically at her and she hit him forcefully.

"You going to wish you never encouraged me to hit the other," She told both of them, "Because I'm rather beginning to enjoy it. And don't you call me little again." She directed the last comment to Koschei.

"Or what?" He taunted, pulling her to him and swaying with her in a dance to the rowdy music in the background.

"Or you will find certain priviledges revoked." She pushed him away and approached Theta, who took the opportunity to whisk her away into a dance of their own. Both grinned mischievously at their friend. Torgan laughed again, mostly due to guessing the meaning of the statement the girl had just made and Koschei's look of annoyance.

* * *

Sometime later when Aliya had gotten more used to the situation (the two flasks of drink she had by then consumed having a lot to do with it), the three Academy students were extremely content.

"Luna, take that ridiculous headpiece out. It looks so much better without it," Koschei told her. His words were met with words of encouragement from Theta.

"Let it out!" They said in unison.

Aliya grinned before standing up and pulling the headpiece out of her hair in a fluid motion, throwing it away to clatter on the ground. Her ringlets fell free and she shook them wildly, getting into the spirit of the party. The boys laughed.

"It's odd, because it's all so primitive, but it's so much fun!" She told Koschei as she danced with him a little while later.

"That's the point!"

* * *

Later, when the party had finally quietened a little, Koschei sat on one of the benches around the outside of the square while Aliya leaned into his side.

Only a few of the musicians were still playing, and their slow and mellow tune floated through the air that was no longer filled with loud and rowdy voices.

Theta was still dancing, having found a cute Shabogan girl who giggled at him and seemed very pleased to be dancing with a Time Lord to be. They twirled around and laughed loudly.

"Can it, Theta," Koschei muttered irritably. "And tell those idiotic low lives to stop their stupid music."

Aliya frowned at his words as the music immediately stopped.

"What did you just say?" A nearby Shabogan man said.

"You know, just that your music is getting on my nerves and that you're all a bunch of idiot primitives who donn't know how to escape from a planet where the real society didn't want them," Koschei said with a huge amount of laziness.

"Why you little-" The Shobogan started angrily, striding towards him.

"Whoa, there, Trev. Calm down, he didn't mean it." Theta said quickly, stepping in front of the man. Aliya leaned away from Koschei's chest and looked at Trev in worry.

"Don't tell me what I do and don't mean, Theta." Koschei retorted as he got to his feet slowly, obviously quite intoxicated. "They're all idiots, they're beneath us. I know you've failed once Theta, and I'm doing it again to learn different subjects, but we're not that thick. They're not even smart enough to try and get off this pompous orange rock!"

"Koschei…" Aliya said pleadingly. "Stop it."

"Don't tell me you aren't thinking it too, Luna. You're little Miss Arpexia, you're practically wiping your boots on them. When I told you where we were going tonight your face fell. You pretend to be all good and kind when really you're just as stuck up as the rest of them," Koschei said in a patronising tone.

Aliya looked incredibly upset. "I wasn't thinking anything like that!" She looked to Trev and the other Shabogans – who regarding her with confusion and growing anger - desperately. "I didn't understand, but I was willing to try it, and as a result this has been one of the most entertaining nights of my life."

They looked as though they believed her, and when she looked to Theta he nodded reassuringly.

However, they did turn back to Koschei looking extremely angry, and before he knew it he had six angry Shabogans advancing on him.

"Come to take a shot at me have you?" He mocked them. "Can't handle the truth?" One took a swing at him and he ducked only to receive a hit from another one.

It soon turned into a huge fight, and Theta was forced to join it to try and get his friend back, while Aliya attempted to do the same but failed. Meanwhile, the Shabogan girl had run off.

Theta managed to get Koschei out, and helped the other student get going before running off and calling for Aliya to follow.

"I'm sorry. He's just…drunk. He's been feeling low and he didn't mean it," She told the Shabogans apologetically before running after her friends and being relieved when they didn't follow.

She felt like she was just making excuses for the young man that she loved. There was a horrible feeling in her stomach that was telling her Koschei had meant every word he had said, and would not hesitate to do something similar again.

Aliya eventually caught up to Theta and Koschei.

"…do something like that again, and I swear, I'll find some way to seriously make you regret it." The former was telling the latter.

"Stop lecturing me, Theta. I didn't ask for your help. I would have been fine." Koschei snapped.

"Fine? You would have been a pummelled mess covered in blood!" Aliya said in confusion and horror.

"She's right. We saved you from Rassilon knows what, and this is the thanks we get." Theta agreed as he shook his head with annoyance.

They argued all the way back up to the Capitol.

When the door slid open and they stepped inside, Aliya felt a feeling of comfort wash over her as she entered the place that was home and much more normal compared to the rough and primitive society she had just left.

"Don't try and make me feel like a guilty little boy, Theta," Koschei sneered. "I'm older than you."

"Well then why don't you act like it for once?" Theta challenged.

Koschei scowled and grabbed Aliya's hand. "Let's go, Luna." Aliya frowned, but moved in to give Theta a tight hug.

"Don't worry," She whispered in his ear as his arms wrapped around her, "I'll sort him out."

"_Ahem_," Koschei coughed irritably, causing them to separate. "Do you mind?"

"What?" Aliya and Theta asked in exasperation.

"Just remember who is whose." The blonde boy replied with forced calmness. The question seemed more directed at Theta. "Come on, Luna." Koschei said, and grabbed her hand. He pulled her off down the corridor in the direction of the dorms. Aliya looked over her shoulder and gave Theta an apologetic look before disappearing around a corner.

Finally they got to her door.

"Goodnight," Aliya sighed. She leant up and went to kiss him on the cheek, but he moved his head at the last minute so that their lips made contact instead. When she tried to pull away he only made the kiss deeper, his arms worming around her as he pushed her against the door to her room.

"Stop it," She warned, her words barely discernable against his mouth.

"Why?" He smirked as he pulled away momentarily, only to kiss her neck instead.

"Because you're drunk, I'm _not _in the mood, and you are being a really horrid person at the moment. So stop it." Aliya replied, doing her best to push him away.

"Would you rather _Theta _be kissing you?" He asked scornfully, jealousy obvious.

"No! Don't be idiotic."

"You too certainly seem very cosy sometimes. Even that hug before…" His voice was bitter.

"It was a hug. He's my friend, Koschei, just as he is yours. So get over this stupid jealousy act and go back to your own room. I want to be alone tonight, and I think it will do both of us some good!"

"You don't mean that." Koschei told her, never doubting himself for a second.

"The hell I don't-"

He kissed her again, taking advantage of her open mouth. She tried to fight him, but could already feel her resolve crumbling. What he could do, how he could persuade her like this even when she was mad at him, it wasn't normal. He wasn't normal. And his uniqueness wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Or at least she tried to tell herself.

His fingers fiddled with the door while still behind her back, and it swung open. They walked inside without breaking apart.

"No more hugging Theta like that," He hissed in her ear.

"Okay," She whispered reluctantly, at that moment not caring anything else.

"You're mine, and don't forget it." He said. She nodded as he began kissing her again, his hands beginning to travel.

Despite her anger and reluctance he had somehow used his hypnotic persuasion to get his way. And she submitted to him, just as she always did.

* * *

Theta trudged into the Deca room, where Aliya and Koschei were lounging on a reclining chair. It was the only place in the Academy other than their private bedrooms where they could be so openly affectionate towards each other. Aliya was sitting between his legs and leaning back against on his chest contently while he had his arms wrapped around her but his hands holding a book he was reading at the same time.

Aliya gave Theta a small smile which soon turned into a frown when she noticed the glum look on his face.

"What's wrong?" She asked with concern.

"I failed my capsule flying test," He said with a sigh, and sat down in a defeated manner on the nearest chair.

Koschei had looked up from his book, and exchanged a look with the girl in his arms before the two burst into laughter, shaking in each other's arms.

"Oi!" Theta said indignantly. "What's so funny about that? I might not even be able to graduate now, and this is my second try!"

"It's just…" Aliya said, giggling again before trying to talk, "You always talked about how brilliant you were, teaching me how to fly it…" She trailed off as her expression turned to one of horror. She jumped up off the sofa and pulled Koschei with her. "Koschei, you know how to fly the capsules, don't you?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"Teach me! He taught me, and failed! If you don't show me the right way to do it, I will too!" She was pleading and panicking, which Koschei found extremely amusing. He pulled her in and kissed her to stop her rambling.

"I'll teach you, Luna. After all, if you want something done right you have to do it yourself." He assured her, and they left the room abruptly.

Theta leant back in his chair. This was not how he had expected them to react.

He closed his eyes and dreamt of the sympathy he would never receive.

* * *

"No, that one."

"This one?"

Koschei grabbed her arm in exasperation and placed her hand on the right lever.

"This one. Got it?" He was obviously irritated by her lack of knowledge. Aliya nodded, noting his impatience. "Now try it properly." He stepped back and watched how she moved around the console.

She flicked the levers and pressed the buttons with decisions, occasionally ghosting over something she had learnt from Theta before choosing the right option.

He smirked and came up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders as he moved closer to her.

"Stop it, I'm trying to concentrate." She muttered as he moved her hair aside to press his lips to her jugular.

"I'm sure you are, but I'm bored." He replied as his hand swept down her torso to her hip.

She tried to ignore him, which was very difficult when he started whispering in her ear.

The things he said made her shudder, and she wondered how anyone could have the nerve to use such sensuous but vulgar terms. Gallifreyan was such a descriptive language…

Eventually she was confident in her grasp of the flying (not that her teacher had been any help, when she had finally convinced him to give up on his perverted way to try and end his boredom, he had merely sulked in the corner and told her whenever she did anything wrong), and she and Koschei left the capsule without any incidents for once in their lives.

* * *

Theta was in the process of choosing a shirt when there was a knock on his bedroom door.

He hurried over and opened it to reveal Aliya waiting outside.

Aliya saw he wasn't wearing a shirt and blushed profusely. She had a lover, and regardless of the fact Theta was quite pleasant to look at with a bare chest, she loved Koschei.

"Oh, sorry," Theta apologised, looking down and realising what was going through her head. "Come in, and I'll, um…" He led her inside and quickly snatched a random shirt out of his drawers and pulled it on as she sat down on the edge of his bed with her eyes politely averted. "So…" He began awkwardly. "What brings you here? I don't think you've ever been in my room before."

"Koschei is studying like a maniac for an exam. I was just wondering what you were planning on doing today." Aliya shrugged.

"I'm sure we can work something out!" Theta said with a grin. She gave back one of her own.

"That's the answer I was hoping for," She told him with relief.

They set off towards a place that Theta insisted was extraordinary. As it turned out, it was a strange sort of cross between a museum and a library, with information of lots of other planets across time and space.

"This is amazing!" Aliya exclaimed as she looked around the wooden panelled room with wonder. "All these galaxies, you can stroll through a door to get more information?"

The entrance was not huge, but had many doors that bore the names of all the different galaxies: Mutter's Spiral, Andromeda galaxy and the Isop galaxy to name a mere few.

"Exactly! And the dimensions of this building are incredible in themselves, this place is huge on the inside," Theta said excitedly, and led her through the Mutter's Spiral door. They were now again in a room of doors, but before Aliya could take a proper look around he was heading towards a door that said 'Sol'.

The next room was the same, with categories of 'Sun/Sol', 'Mercury', and 'Mars'.

"This is amazing. So many places we've barely heard of…"

"Yes," Theta agreed impatiently. "But I want to show you this one." He pulled her through the final door. "Welcome to the information base of the planet Terra, otherwise known as Earth."

He ran to the circular projector in the middle of the spacious room and hit a few buttons, bringing up a hologram of the planet.

Aliya stared at the picture in awe. "It's beautiful. All those greens and blues and whites. You'd never get anything like that here."

"Brilliant, don't you think?" Theta asked with a grin, eyeing the hologram with fondness. "Native species: Humans. A bit thick, and primitive, but they are quite similar to us in appearance."

Aliya rolled her eyes.

"Humans have taken over half of the galaxies in the universe by very early on in history. I do know what they are, though I never thought to ask where they originated, She told him. "How much information is here? What is it like?"

He led her over to one of the countless doors – one that read 'Literature' - that lined the walls of the room and pulled it open.

It was a large library, full of books that looked so alien to her.

"It's organised chronologically, and by the name of the author within that. It only has the major bestsellers, though. Though, this woman is marvellous!" Theta said, pulling a book from a nearby shelf. Aliya took it gingerly and examined the glossy cover that held a certain beauty. It was written in English (irritating, limiting, and ugly language that it was), but she had no trouble reading it.

"Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express," She read before giving Theta a sceptical look. "What a charming title. Can't say I know what the 'Orient Express' is."

"It's a train," He informed her before grinning and taking back the book. "But really, for something based around such a vile act, they are brilliant. It's what they call a 'murder mystery'. You follow a character or a group of characters, who are trying to solve the murder, but you don't find out who did it until the very end. And for a human, the plots are surprisingly hard to predict."

Aliya could not help but feel intrigued by the idea. "It sounds quite interesting."

"Of course it does. That's because it is, my dear girl." Theta said. "Read it, and you might find you enjoy it."

"Can I get it out? Like a library?"

"My dear Ali, for many purposes, this _is _a library. Just swipe your ID and it will be logged into the system." She nodded and did as he instructed.

They walked out of the 'Literature' room and spent a few hours examining aspects of the planet Theta seemed so fond of.

"Because they didn't even believe in life on other worlds until the 21st century, and even then there were still so many in denial. It would be a fascinating period to visit," Theta said enthusiastically as they walked back towards the dorms.

"Now you're just being silly," Aliya told him, "You can't just visit other places. We've got to stay and do our duty to society."

Theta shook his head, a new gleam of determination in his eyes as he looked at her. "Ali, I'm telling you right now, that if it is the last thing I do, I'm going to leave this place, get off this planet."

"Why? How would it be worth it? You'd get in so much trouble!" She asked in disbelief.

"I don't know if you're old enough to understand yet. Almost, but not quite, He said with no joking tone whatsoever as he looked her over. "I'll explain it to you one day."

"I better go and check on Koschei," Her change of subject was not the most subtle but being called young (or as good as) had irritated her. Koschei may treat her like many things that annoyed her, but at least he did treat her like a grown up. "Goodbye, Theta."

Regardless of the slight tension now between them they still exchanged a tender hug in farewell before she left in the direction of Koschei's room.

She knocked on the door and a voice called, "Come in."

She entered the room that was – like most student rooms – smaller than her own, the book from Earth still in her hands.

Koschei smiled when he saw her come in. "Hello, Luna."

Aliya decided in those few seconds that it was ridiculously unfair for someone to look as attractive as Koschei did at that very moment.

His blonde hair was mussed, and his white cotton shirt partially unbuttoned at the top while he wore no shoes. He was lounging on the bed looking over a scroll, and obviously completely unaware of his distracting appearance.

She put the book she carried on his dresser and sat down on the bed next to him. He caught her looking over his intelligent eyes, his hair so similar to hers, and didn't miss how her gaze dipped to the more exposed part of his chest. Seeing the look in her eyes as she surveyed him, it took only half a second for the same expression of desire to appear in his own eyes.

Koschei kissed her hungrily, bringing his body up so they were level. They broke apart for a moment. About to kiss her again, his green eyes flicked up to linger on the Agatha Christie book which he had barely noticed on her way in.

"What have you been up to today?" He asked casually, leaning away and ignoring the confused look she gave him.

"Theta showed me the archives that have information about almost any planet in the universe. He recommended the book," She replied lightly.

"You always seem to be doing things with Theta these days," Koschei said grumpily.

"Let's not get into one of these stupid arguments again," Aliya said, but he continued anyway.

"It's always Theta this, Theta that…" Koschei's voice was bitter.

"No it's not! Your jealousy just gets the better of you, and you think things that aren't true." The argument was one that seemed to be happening increasingly.

"Oh really?"

The sarcasm only made his lover scowl and move away from him. "When are you going to realise that I love you, and not him?" She asked in exasperation as she moved off the bed and collected her book.

"Prove it," He tested, the desire still burning in the back of his eyes.

"No," Aliya said coolly. "I've proved it over and over. You want more proof? Look back through the memories you've obviously forgotten and catch what everyone else has no problem seeing. When you get that far, maybe we'll talk."

She turned and left the room, leaving Koschei annoyed, jealous and alone.

The drums continued to beat in his head, spurring him on to the conflict, instead of delivering the peace of mind he so urgently needed.


	4. Koschei's Downfall

**The song in this chapter is 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls if you want to listen while reading the scene that has it.**

**Also, the mentions of singular hearts for the students is going by one version of DW canon where Time Lords of Oldblood houses don't get a second heart until they regenerate for the first time. **

* * *

"Luna!"

"I don't what to hear it! You're insufferable!"

"Insufferable? Oh, and I suppose Theta isn't!"

"This is exactly what I'm talking about!"

Aliya and Koschei were fighting again. The other few students nearby gave them curious and disapproving looks as they went past. Aliya was striding through the corridors towards the direction of the room, while Koschei was some distance behind and yelling after her. Aliya spotted Theta talking to an older and similarly dark haired man up ahead and quickly stopped next to them.

"Hello," She said with a nervous smile, and resisted the urge to look over her shoulder. The older man gave Theta a curious look.

Theta coughed. "Yes, right. Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia, meet my older brother, Irving Braxiatel."

Braxiatel bowed to her formally and she was quick to do the same back.

"Nice to meet you. Good to see that my brother has finally made an honourable friend. Don't let him lead you astray," He said seriously but with a charming smile. She laughed.

"I shall be sure to rebuke him grandly next time he tries, my Lord." She gave a smile of her own.

"Luna!" Koschei was approaching them with an angry look on his face. Braxiatel raised an eyebrow in a very disapproving manner and scratched his beard contemplatively.

"Does he mean you?" He asked Aliya. She nodded. The Time Lord rose to his full height as the blonde Time Lord-to-be arrived in their small group. "Young man, what is your name?" He asked with an authority filled voice.

The youngster looked taken aback. "Koschei of Oakdown, my Lord." He said with a reluctant – and almost definitely false – air of respect.

"Koschei, when talking to a lady you will address her by her full name, and treat her with the respect and courtesy she deserves, is that understood?" Braxiatel said firmly. The young blonde man nodded.

Braxiatel turned to his brother. "Good bye Theta. I have places to be." The Time Lord left the students alone.

"Hiding behind higher members of authority, are we now, Luna?" Koschei mocked.

"Go away, Koschei." Aliya said as coldly as she could.

"No. We need to talk." He hissed.

"Oh? If we need to talk so badly, then why is it when we're finally alone so we can 'talk', we never actually do much talking?" The blonde girl asked angrily. Theta felt his fists clench at her implications.

"Because my way seems to get the message through better," Koschei seethed.

"Leave her alone," Theta said, narrowing his eyes at his friend.

"Stay out of this, Theta." Koschei grabbed Aliya's wrist with painful force and pulled her through the maze of corridors until they found a private alcove.

"What's wrong with you?" Aliya asked, twisting her arm out of his grip.

He kissed her, forcing himself against her. His hand flew up to run through her hair, and her head piece clattered to the ground. She placed her hands on his chest and tried to push him away. After some struggle, she managed to worm her way out of his grasp and run back the way they had come. She could hear him behind her but paid no attention. She continued to run, her hair – now loose – becoming more wild as it bounced around. Theta was running towards her, looking worried. She grabbed his hand as she flew past him and forced him to turn around and run with her.

He did not argue, on the contrary, he seemed to be relieved. They ran hand in hand through the corridors, past many disapproving students and narrowly avoiding Professors who would have given them very strict punishments. Eventually they got to the dorm area and quickly opened the door to Theta's room before running inside. They breathed a sigh of relief as the door locked behind them and they exchanged a celebratory hug.

When they pulled apart, Theta began looking her over. He noted the slightly swollen lips, but he could see nothing else wrong with her. He took her face gently in his hands and rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly. She nodded slowly.

"Yes, he just…scares me sometimes. I'm afraid of going back to my room." She said sheepishly, and let out a tired yawn.

"You could stay in here. I don't mind." Theta suggested. Aliya frowned.

"But wouldn't that be…I don't know…"

"Nah, you're my best friend. It's not weird, or wrong, unless you make it like that." He smiled.

Aliya loved Theta's smiles. They were so happy and full of warmth. When Theta was happy it was just infectious, you couldn't help but mirror his mood. It was one of the things that had pulled her to him so quickly.

"Okay. But what will I wear?"

Theta frowned momentarily. "Um…you've got an underdress on or something, don't you?"

She nodded. "It's a bit small though. It only comes up to my knees."

"Well it's a good thing I'm not trying to seduce you, then," Theta joked with a grin. He went to get changed in his bathroom. Aliya sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Do you have an extra blanket or something I can use to make the floor more comfortable?" She asked him through the door.

"Floor? I'm not letting you sleep on the floor, Ali!" He argued. "We can sleep in the same bed."

"But that's so…" Aliya trailed off, twiddling her hair around her finger nervously.

"So what?"

"So…improper." She finished with a frown.

"Improper?" Theta's voice turned slightly bitter. "From what I hear, improper hasn't stopped you and Koschei." He came through the door in a light cotton shirt and long baggy pants. His brown hair was slightly shaggy and passed his collar, quite long compared to most young males'.

Aliya blushed profusely from his statement. "That's different." She said with a frown.

"How?" Theta challenged.

"It…just is!"

"Well, for us it is not improper, because we're not doing anything. We're just sleeping." Theta reminded her. She nodded reluctantly and reached behind to undo the knot at the back of her dress, but she had done it too tightly and she could not do it.

She cursed, and looked surprised at herself when she did so.

"Here, let me help." Theta offered in good natured exasperation. Despite her weak protests, he came behind her and undid the knot deftly. He loosened the laces doing up the back and she slipped out of the dress easily.

Aliya felt very exposed as she slowly turned around to face Theta. The underdress was white and sleeveless with a low neck. It was bodice-like and the skirt was white and frilly, coming to her knees.

He smiled gently, and she just blushed.

"Shut up."

"Did I say something?" He teased.

"No, but you didn't need to. Stop looking at me like that," She said uncomfortably.

"Sorry." He smiled again. He went over to the bed and pulled back the covers so she could slide in. He then got in on the other side.

"Thank you," Aliya said again as he turned the light out. She had always liked the dark. It was mysterious and strangely comforting in the way it the way it seemed to wrap around everything.

"Good night, Ali," Theta said gently.

"Good night, Theta." Aliya reached her hand back until it brushed his. He grabbed it and held onto it comfortingly, slowly stroking her fingers with his own. The tiny rhythm sent her to sleep.

* * *

Theta felt Ali's breathing steady out, and knew she was asleep. He kept a grip on her hand. Once he was sure she would not wake, he inched closer to her until they were a hair's breadth apart. He wound his arms around her small form, in a way he had wanted to for years. He buried his nose in her long golden ringlets. She smelled sweet, like the golden flowers that grew on his family's lands. And her skin was there before him, more of it than he had ever seen before. He ran his finger down her shoulder slowly. She was soft, just like he had known she would be.

In these moments, these precious moments, he knew that she was safe in his arms.

He would protect her, from anything and anyone.

* * *

At some point in the night she woke up, not entirely, but enough to be conscious of what was around her.

Theta's body was slightly mirroring hers, just touching while his arms were wrapped around her protectively. She could feel the warmth of his skin through his shirt.

Somehow, his embrace felt right.

Safe.

* * *

In the morning Theta Sigma woke to find his arms empty of the golden haired young woman who had once been between them.

Cracking his eyelids open to investigate further, he found a note on the pillow next to him.

He ran his eyes over the swirling symbols etched into the paper.

_Theta,_

_Had to leave before everyone woke up. Didn't want to get caught leaving your room. See you later._

_Ali_

He made a noise that was a strange mix between a yawn and a groan before rolling over and going back to sleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, now back in her own room, Aliya had been spending the idle hours of the morning reading more of the Agatha Christie books, something she was thoroughly enjoying.

There was a knock at the door. Four beats sounded harshly against the wood, and it was as if they had yelled out their name; the rhythm said it all.

She ignored it while trying to also disregard the fear stirring in her stomach.

"Luna! Let me in!" An angry voice yelled.

"I see no way it would benefit me." She replied flatly in another rare moment of sarcasm.

"You have to open that door sometime. I can wait if necessary."

"So you're just going to wait outside my door? What are you going to do if a Professor asks what you're doing? The doors are named, and I don't think Lord Braxiatel will be pleased to find you outside mine." Aliya said and was surprised at how calm and sophisticated her voice sounded considering she felt the complete opposite.

"Just let me in. We have to settle this sometime." Koschei said.

Aliya sighed. Deep down she knew he was right. She pulled her blue robes on over her underdress before opening the door.

"Thank you," He said with a charming smile. She could not help but be wary of his cordial behaviour, since it was not consistent with his attitude to date. He strode in with his pride obviously still intact. She shut the door behind him.

"So what do you want?" Aliya asked cautiously.

He laughed, and it sounded too normal. "Do I have to want something?"

"You usually do."

"Well this time all I want is for us to spend some together." Koschei smiled again. Aliya felt her heart swell as she began to believe he may be telling the truth. He was acting like the old Koschei, the one she had fallen in love with.

She gave him a huge, happy smile with eyes full of relief and love. He grabbed and pulled her into a hug. She relaxed against his body. Everything was back to the way it should be.

He captured her lips in a surprisingly gentle kiss. It was barely demanding, merely staking his claim and showing his feelings. She kissed back blissfully, winding her fingers through his curls while he placed his hands on her waist.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

Theta Sigma stood in the door way with a somewhat bemused expression as he watched his two friends halt their kissing and direct their attention to him.

"I'll, uh, come back," He said blankly, making to leave when Aliya stopped him.

She insisted that whatever it was could be done now. Her mind was floating from her whole world righting itself that the thought that what she had just said was not necessarily the smartest did not enter her head.

Theta held up a small bag in his hand (that like almost everything Gallifreyan was bigger on the inside) and pulled a full sized Gallifreyan dress out of it.

"That's mine." The blonde young woman frowned as she stared at it.

"Yeah, you left it in my room." Theta shrugged as he reached out and handed it to her. Aliya took it stiffly, as she - unlike Theta - realised Koschei was still present, and taking in the situation with an ever growing jealous scowl.

Aliya did her best to ignore him as she put the dress away, but when she turned back, Theta and Koschei had their eyes locked in some sort of confrontation.

"Anything you'd like to explain, Luna?" Koschei asked coldly while not taking his gaze off the other young man.

"Not really," She said uncomfortably.

He glared. "Why did you leave your dress in his room?"

"Because she slept in there," Theta said with newfound courage.

"Oh really?" Koschei spat. "And why did she do that?"

Theta took a step forward. "She was hiding from you!"

"Oh really?" Koschei sneered, his attractive features twisting into an ugly scowl.

Aliya looked between the two of them, wondering whether she really had the guts to confront the one she loved like this.

"Yes!" She shouted, the words slipping out before her mind could think about it. "You're just wrong, Koschei! What is this?" She gestured to him. "A minute ago you were acting like the guy I fell in love with, and now you're back to the horrible person who has taken over the good person who used to be there! Was that all it was? An act?" Her eyes welled up a little.

"Maybe it was an act," He said coolly. "You would never have let me touch you otherwise."

As he spoke Aliya felt physically unclean in all the places he had touched her just then. She tentatively stepped towards him.

"You're not this person…" She whispered, reaching up to touch his cheek gently. He laughed menacingly and locked his hand around hers, pressing his lips against it possessively. She snatched her hand away. "Stop it."

"This is who I am, and it's never going to change. You'll accept that soon enough," Koschei said coldly. He grabbed her arms and locked eyes with her. "And you'll come to me anyway, you always do."

Feeling sick in her stomach, she pushed him away roughly, tears streaking down her face.

"Get out!" She yelled desperately. "It's over, I never want to talk to you again!"

He looked furious.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it." Koschei shoved her to the side and pushed past Theta to stalk out of the room.

Theta stared after him before turning his attention to the blonde woman who was crying on her bed, quickly soaking the sheets with her salty tears.

"Ali…" He began as he slowly approached her.

"Just…go," She said softly into her pillows. "Please."

Theta watched her for a few more moments before reluctantly leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

* * *

It had been a year since Aliya had pushed Koschei out of her life, and was well on the way to mending her broken heart. To anyone who knew her, except for Theta, they would think it was already mended.

She knew better, but put on a brave face.

In celebration of a round of exams being completed, the Professors had allowed the students to have one function to relax before continuing on with school work the next day.

All the girls had been quick to get out the pretty dresses while the boys wore simple smart tunics. Aliya's dress was purple and flowing, and made of such a soft material that it took a lot of her self control to not continuously stroke it while talking to Ushas, who was in a surprisingly good mood.

Ushas had slightly darker skin and more angular features, and had opted for a sari-like dress of a dark red. The theme of the party/ball was clothing of more primitive eras and planets. Because her features were very similar to those of Indian humans, Ushas had dressed accordingly.

Aliya had simply opted for a simple early 19th century Earth gown, and she eyed Theta across the room. The young man had selected 19th century Earth clothing (many other students had picked Earth, for they had been learning about it in History recently, and the inhabitants were very outwardly similar), wearing a black jacket and trousers with a silver cravat to match her own clothing.

The music playing in the background was a mix of the music styles of the same places and times the clothing was based around.

At the Academy, all students had to learn how to play all the basic instruments of many different planets. Therefore, it was easy for some of them to provide music now.

A slow, pretty song came on, and just as Aliya began to enjoy it she spotted Koschei across the room, skulking around in dark clothing, complete with a black cloak. She felt a dark feeling in her stomach as their eyes locked, and it only grew as he slowly began to make his away around the dancers in an obvious attempt to get to her.

Ushas had spotted him too.

"He's never going to change," The older girl said grimly, eyeing the blonde young man with distaste. "Don't be fooled into thinking he will. You should be smarter than that."

Aliya nodded vaguely and excused herself, hurrying away in Theta's direction.

Ushas found herself being asked to dance by a somewhat wary Magnus (Ushas, after all, had a rather intimidating persona), and while initially sceptical, she accepted and found it rather enjoyable.

Aliya approached Theta, who became a little alarmed by the fear in her eyes.

"Ali, what's wrong?" He asked worriedly.

"Koschei, he's coming over. I'm afraid he'll try something, like ask me to dance, because he knows I can't make a scene here, or maybe he'll-" Her panicked ramble was cut short by Theta placing his hand gently over her mouth to stop the sound.

"So you need me to save you?" He summarised with a grin. She nodded, rolling her eyes a little. He dipped into a small bow, and held his hand out to her, his eyes twinkling with good natured mockery. "Aliyanadevoralundar, may I have this dance?"

She giggled and let him lead her onto the dance floor.

Her right hand slipped into his left, while his right rested gently on her waist. Unsure, she placed her other hand on his shoulder. They swayed awkwardly for a few seconds, before laughing at themselves. They did their best to adjust. He wrapped his arm further around her waist and up her back a little, and pulled her closer while she moved her arm so that it was wrapped around his neck instead of sitting on his shoulder.

He brought their still joined hands up closer to their bodies, and they moved gently to the music, more comfortable than before.

After an unceasing amount of stepping on each other's toes they decided to go for the option of her feet resting on top of his own, a safer and less painful option for both of them.

Aliya giggled as his feet moved and hers moved with them. "We can't do anything right," She noted playfully.

"Maybe not…" Theta admitted, and grinned, "But it's more fun this way. We learn from our mistakes, so this is the way that's going to make us both geniuses!"

"You're already a genius, Theta. You just need to find a way to show that to the Professors," Aliya told him. His face fell a little.

"It's not my fault that I can't see things the way they do," He said sadly. "They know of every possible type of thought technique and learning skill, but when it comes to me they can't make me understand, and vice versa."

"I understand," Aliya said quickly. "Your stuff, it took me a while, but I get it now. And it's brilliant, so don't you ever forget that. And now that I understand how you think, together we're going to get you through this, remember? Last week, you got a level above the minimum pass grade for an assignment for the first time ever. Things can only get better, Thete."

"I hope so, Ali," He replied.

* * *

Theta Sigma and Aliya slowly turned in a slow revolving circle together, smiling like the happy idiots they were. Eventually the music stopped and the student playing the music came to the microphone at the front of the music stand in the corner of the room.

"Alright, so we're going to play a song that's from 21st century Earth-"

Many people in the large group sniggered.

The boy grinned, his shaggy ginger hair flopping in his face. "Yeah, I know. It's about love, like all those songs were from there, but you never know, you might actually enjoy it. It's called Iris. It's in English-"

The crowd again made distasteful noises.

"But I'll translate it into Gallifreyan." This pleased the students.

The other musicians started and he waited for the intro before starting to sing.

Theta and Aliya exchanged a small smile before picking up their dance once again.

"_And I'd give up forever to touch you,_

_Because I know that you feel me somehow,_

_You're the closest to heaven, that I'll ever be,_

_And I don't want to go home right now."_

Aliya grinned at Theta, knowing the song was from an era he liked, and she was enjoying it herself.

"_And all I can taste is this moment,_

_And all I can breathe is your life,_

_But sooner or later it's over,_

_I just don't want to miss you tonight."_

Theta held up their joined hands and used them to twirl Aliya around, causing her to flash a huge smile at him when she came back around. As the music led into the chorus he pulled her back close to him.

"_And I don't want the world to see me,_

_Because I don't think that they'd understand,_

_When everything's made to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am."_

Aliya let herself sink into the music and enjoy this dance with Theta. For a while, she forgot about Koschei and thought of nothing but the feeling of sharing a dance with her best friend to music that actually had meaning.

Theta made their dance more vigorous and playful during the long instrumental, causing her to laugh at his antics, as he swung her in and out of his hold. But as before, eventually he brought her back and held her delicately, as though she were a precious object.

The two Time Lords-to-be spun around blissfully, laughing as they had no idea of the darkness about to retake their lives once more.

* * *

**If you are new to this story, check out my fic Deafening Silence, which is the first fic of the series that this prequel belongs to. It should help you while you wait for updates on this, and vice versa. **

**-MayFairy :)**


	5. The Blonde Puppet

**Warning: This chapter is kind of...weird. Aliya, for instance, is pretty out of wack from what you guys what might be used to with Aliya VIII. Three reasons, one, because Aliya I is not a particularly strong person, she's more gentle, naive and well, persuadable. Two, because she does have feelings for Koschei which she can't help. Three, because Koschei utilises this with his 'super mind control powers' and screws with her head.**

**He isn't completely controlling her mind, merely making the part of her brain that wants him to become dominant. It's not all him.**

**That's all, I think!**

* * *

She would notice him watching her.

It scared her.

Every time his intense gaze met hers her stomach dropped as though a heavy stone had been placed inside. His eyes were dark with something raging inside, something she feared was the very thing that had driven her away from him. Those eyes seemed to pierce into her soul. She recognised the expression. He was planning something.

The thought filled her with dread.

"Aliya? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Theta. Just distracted."

"Just…be careful, okay?"

"I won't let Koschei and his lurking get to me, don't worry."

* * *

Aliya was walking dreamily towards the library, her mind drifting completely as she thought about the science experiment that she had to design for her classes. It would of course take days of preparation and hours to perform the actual experiment, but such was the average time needed for these classes.

She settled herself at a table and began scribbling down preparation notes and plans down on as much paper as she could find. After a couple of hours full of hard work, she found herself surrounded by at least ten pieces of paper covered in the swirls and circles of her writing.

"Impressive," A familiar voice said from behind her, and her ears recognised the owner at the same moment that she twisted her head around to look.

Koschei was staring down at her with the pale green eyes she had grown to fear so much. Her chest tightening, she bit her lip as she turned back to her work, her heart beating so fast that she found herself wishing for a second one.

"Luna…" He said slowly, his hand snaking to rest on her red velvet clad shoulder.

"I don't want to talk to you, Koschei, and that's not my name, so please don't use it." Aliya fought to keep her voice calm, as his presence affected her so much more than she ever wanted him to know.

"Oh, come on…you don't mean that," He said smoothly, slipping into the seat next to her, his voice casual like it had been back in the days when she hadn't been scared of him.

She snuck a glance at him, taking in the fact that he seemed non-hostile. "I do, actually," She said weakly.

He didn't answer the statement and instead ran his eyes over all the paper in front of them. "What's all this for?" He sounded genuinely curious. She wordlessly pushed the pages towards him and stared nervously straight ahead as he read them. "Wow…you're going to get full marks for this if it has the expected results…" He complimented.

"Thanks…" She murmured quietly.

"Luna…I've missed you." He said at an equally low volume. Hearing him say her old name like that caused a shiver to run down her spine.

"I…I don't believe you," She managed to stammer, and mentally prided herself on the words.

"What?"

"All you ever do is lie to me! Nothing like that would change in a year, or fifty!" She cast her eyes away from him, but out of sight was certainly not out of mind.

"Luna…" She felt a tiny bit of her resolve crumble as he said the name again, "Please, I need you…you know deep down that you belong with me…"

She turned to face him; something she immediately knew was a mistake. He looked as handsome and charming as ever and when his green eyes met hers she felt as though her heart was breaking all over again.

"How can you say that?" Her voice crumbled as she stared at him with incredulous hurt. "After everything you did…"

"Luna," He said gently, and she found more of her resolve tumbling down every time he said the name, "I'm sorry…" His hand reached up to touch her face in a seemingly innocent way, and she cursed herself as she reflexively leaned into his touch.

However, then his fingers reached her temple and she felt his mind brush hers: Gentle, needing, asking, coaxing….

"No!" She protested as she shoved his hand away and jumped back in her seat. "Don't do that! I don't know how you're able to get inside my head…and change everything in there…but don't try and make me feel something I don't!"

"But you do…" He replied in a low voice, and she tried to ignore the fact that he was right, "You still have feelings for me…do you think I can't hear your heart pounding away in there, so scared, but so in need of me at the same time…" His voice and aura was so persuasive that she took an unconscious step towards him, almost dazed. He reached out a hand to caress her neck, and she caught her breath as she tilted her neck to give him better access. His fingertips traced across her pale skin, coaxing submission, until-

"Stop it!" She said forcefully, jumping away from him. "Just…leave me alone…" She held back any tears as she stormed away from him and out of the library.

Koschei cursed as he watched her leave and aimed a kick at the nearest bookcase.

* * *

Aliya sat on the edge of her bed, shaken by Koschei's unexpected appearance.

How dare he? How dare he try and get her back, after everything?

She was always helpless against him, but the fact that she had to a certain extent been able to stand up to him in the library gave her hope that perhaps she could make it through after all…

She thought about Koschei for the next half an hour, wrestling with old feelings and trying to figure out ways to deflect any advances he might try to make.

A knock on her door woke her from her busy and disturbing thoughts, and she slowly got up and crossed to the door, hoping that it wouldn't be a certain blonde young man on the other side.

Of course, it was. Koschei stood there with an innocent and warm smile, holding a familiar bunch of papers in his hand. She slammed the door shut immediately before realising what it was he had been holding and cursing as the fact that she needed to get the papers back dawned on her.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

"You left these behind in your…hurry," He said with good natured humour, and handed them over to her. She took them, and her hand recoiled after accidentally touching his.

"Um…thanks," She mumbled, not sure of what to say.

"Luna, please, just…let me in. Can't we just talk?" Koschei asked urgently, bring his arm up to rest on the door frame near her face.

"No," She whispered. "You know that when it comes to us, it doesn't work like that."

"Please…I…I need you, Luna. More than anything. You and me together…the way it's supposed to be." His voice wove a picture that despite everything made her heart flutter.

"…just to talk?" Aliya said slowly, knowing deep down that she was making one of the biggest mistakes of her life.

He nodded, his eyes full of some kind of affection, or as close as Koschei could get to it.

Aliya stretched her free hand out to him and led him inside, with old feelings stirring within her as their hands were joined. She placed the papers on the table and led him to the bed, where they both sat down.

He fiddled with her fingers gently, and they both watched their interlocked hands for a minute or so.

"Koschei…I just can't be with you again. It hurts too much. You don't respect me as a person. I'm just…a thing, a thing that you lost and now feel that you need to have." Aliya said slowly, and she heard him inhale deeply, thinking her words over with a displeased expression.

"You know that it's more than that. You can't tell me that if I were to do this-" He reached his hand up to stroke her neck in the same hypnotising way he had in the library, "-that you don't feel something."

"That's called lust, Koschei, it's not an emotion!" She snapped, a tear prickling at her eye. But she didn't try to move his hand. He stared at her, and her eyes eventually buckled under his gaze and went to his hand. "Dammit, Koschei, I loved you! Doesn't that matter? I still…I find my soul wanting you, you're in my dreams…and my nightmares. I find it hard to not think about you, but you don't love me!"

"Who said that I didn't love you?" Koschei retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, do you?" She demanded, and he didn't reply. "See? You never say so! Answer me, Koschei, do you love me, or don't you?"

He stared into her eyes, communicating a million emotions at once. "You know how I feel." Her heart briefly stopped, and her mind realised what it was it needed to know…that his answer was a 'yes', just said in his own way.

She felt another sob shake her body as she brought a hand to her mouth in shock. He pushed her hair out of her face and cupped her cheek.

"No tears, Luna. This should be a happy thing." He told her, but she shook her head uncertainly.

"Alright, but we have to lay down some kind of rules. First and foremost: Theta is my best friend, and I will not under any circumstances stop spending time with him. So stop being pettily jealous and deal with it; it wouldn't hurt for the two of you to make up." She said, and he nodded.

"I can do that."

"But what if you just change?" She found herself saying as panic began to rise through her, "Last time you were just pretending, how do I know that you're not doing the same thing now?"

"Luna," He took her chin and forced her to look into his eyes, something that shook her panic in seconds. He stretched his hand up to her temple, forming a slight connection with her subconscious brain that was subtle enough to not alert her conscious brain. "This isn't an act, we've worked out our problems…" He felt satisfaction unfurl through him as her eyes became just slightly awed, struck by his strange ability to manipulate in a way that no other Gallifreyan could. "You love me again, despite what I have done wrong."

Aliya blinked before breaking out into an adoring smile. "Koschei," She breathed, and her small hand came up to touch his cheek, and he closed his eyes as he felt his own mind and heart become more content, "You're really back."

"And we're together, like it should be." Koschei added, and kissed her, pulling her in with his need to have her in his arms and keep her there. She kissed him back with fervour, and both felt joy fill their hearts.

* * *

They decided to keep it from Theta for a while, which wasn't hard as he had practically locked himself in one of the laboratories and had not left for nearly a week, so they didn't have to worry about interruptions, though one did come along eventually.

"Aliya! Are you awake, can I come in?" He asked enthusiastically as he rapped on the door, and his words caused Aliya and Koschei to both meet each other's eyes in alarm, realising their unclothed nature under the bed covers wasn't exactly appropriate. They both scrambled out of their embrace and the bed and grabbed for their clothes before hastily trying to put them on.

"Um, hold on, Theta," Aliya called nervously as her fumbling fingers tied Koschei's waistcoat while his own were working on her bodice, "Won't be a minute or so!"

They were both reasonably decent by that point, but rushed into the bathroom to tame their somewhat…unruly hair. Koschei came up behind her while she was trying to brush her hair and kept pressing burning kisses to her neck, but she swatted him away with the brush.

When they were both done, Koschei picked up one of her Agatha Christie books and began flicking through it while Aliya went to answer the door.

"Aliya, you've got to come and see-" Theta stopped short after practically bouncing in the door, as he had spotted Koschei sitting on the bed. "What's he doing in here?" The statement was almost rude, and Koschei looked up from the book with a smirk, mock hurt in his eyes.

"I've missed you too, Thete," He replied snarkily.

Theta bent closer to Aliya and lowered his voice. "I thought you were keeping away from him…that you were afraid of him!"

"Theta, I wasn't afraid of him, I was waiting for him to sort his problems out on his own, and he has, we've talked it all out now, it's back to how it should be!" She insisted, and he noticed how bright her eyes were, and it made him sick to the stomach. It was like she had been brainwashed. He ground his teeth, mind reeling, and Aliya noticed and frowned. "Theta, what is it, what's wrong? Aren't you happy for us?"

Theta looked to Koschei, who smirked at him again and repeated, "Yeah, Theta, aren't you happy for us?" The eyes of the blonde young man were glinting with a sinister sort of triumph, and through his eyes he was taunting the other male. '_I've won this round, you don't stand a chance, she'll never listen to you.' _The message was clearly conveyed, and Theta scowled before storming out of the room, and Aliya felt confusion and disappointment fill her, and she tried to follow him down the balcony passage.

"Theta, wait!" She began to run after his retreating figure, but she felt Koschei's hand grab hers. "No, Koschei, let me go, I have to explain it to him…"

"Luna, he needs time. Now come on. You can try and explain to me why you love these Earth books so much." He slowly pulled her back towards her room, and she went with him, and slowly became more animate.

"I _will _make you like them, you know," She said seriously, but with a teasing spark.

"You can try, Luna, you can try," Koschei replied.

* * *

A few days later, Aliya slipped out of Koschei's room only to be caught by a certain Theta Sigma. He didn't look pleased.

"I have the right to do whatever I wish with whomever I choose, Theta," She defended before he could say anything, and then began walking in the direction of her room, only for him to follow her.

"Yes, anyone, except him!" He argued as they walked, and she shot him an indignant glare.

"Why not him?" She demanded fiercely, turning on him just as they came to her door. When he didn't answer immediately, she huffed and went inside, only for him to follow and slam the door shut.

"He's not good for you, Ali!" He snapped, and her cheeks flushed with anger.

"He's good to me, he makes me happy, how is he not good for me?" She bit back, and sat down on the bed with another huff of irritation. "There's a thing in this universe called love, Theta, perhaps you should look it up!"

Theta sighed, seeing that he wasn't going to win this battle, not today. He came to sit by her on the edge of the bed, and shot an apologetic look at her. She refused to look at him for several minutes, but eventually she turned her head so that their eyes met, and her shoulders slumped in resignation. She couldn't be mad at him. Not really. Wordlessly, she leaned against him and put her head in his shoulder, and he felt himself smile a little. He looked around so that he could see her face properly, her eyes closed gently as she savoured the closeness of being with her best friend in a way that she hadn't recently. But then he saw that the shoulder of her dress has slipped down her arm a little, bearing some of the skin, and Theta felt anger begin to ignite inside his heart.

The skin was bruised, purple and blue all along the shoulder and upper arm. He felt his fingers stretch out to trace the edges lightly, and her eyes snapped up to look at his hand before meeting his eyes, the green irises full of quiet rage and sadness.

"This is love?" He asked darkly, his meaning clear.

"Don't judge him like that…" She whispered, looking away from him. "He doesn't do it on purpose, but he's just not gentle sometimes, it's not in his nature – why am I telling you this?" She stood up and went to look at herself in the mirror, pulling the dress back up to cover the marks on her skin.

Theta again felt bile almost rise in his throat. He could imagine it all too well, Koschei grabbing her shoulders harshly as they-

He shook himself out of the explicit and horrifying thoughts. Koschei had once been a best friend, someone he trusted completely. But now his true self was revealed.

Theta followed her to the mirror, where he stood behind and slowly pulled the fabric back down slightly. She watched him silently as his fingers ran over the bruises, and winced heavily when he applied pressure to one.

"How can you think that this is okay?" He asked sceptically, his voice sorrowful as his eyes lifted to look at her face. She blinked, tears gathering at the edge of her eyes.

"They're just bruises, so stop it! You're ruining it!" Aliya cried, pushing him away. "You don't know anything, you wouldn't understand love, Theta, you haven't loved anyone in the way that I love him!"

Theta felt as though he had been punched in the stomach, her words stinging his heart. "I'm sorry," He murmured, and threw her a despaired look before walking out, closing the door abruptly behind him. She watched him go and fought the urge to throw something at the door, but instead approached it, sliding down it until she sat against it, tears running down her cheeks both at his misunderstanding of Koschei and the fact that she seemed to have hurt him in some way. All she wanted to do was be with Koschei; was that wrong? Why did it bother him so much?

At the same time, Theta Sigma was leaning his head against the door, holding back tears of his own, her harsh words ringing in his head. _You haven't loved anyone in the way that I love him! _She was wrong, she was so, so wrong. There was someone that he loved, loved for years without saying anything, merely watching on the side, and it was the girl on the other side of the door.

Was he just supposed to stand by and let her be bruised, hurt both physically and mentally by someone he called a friend? Be touched in that way by a man that wasn't him?

No. There had to be some way he could protect her…someone that she would listen to.

* * *

"Theta Sigma, you son of a Shansheeth's arse, open this door right now!" Aliya shouted through his door, and he jumped in surprise, having never heard her curse before, even if it was an odd curse. He opened the door to find a furious blonde glaring at him. He knew why he was in trouble, he had been expecting it.

What he didn't expect was the slightly visible red hand-print across her right cheek. He felt his eyebrow furrow in worry, and she raised her eyebrows, lightly touching the mark before dropping her hand.

"Yes, that's from my charming father, so nice of you to tell on me," She said overly sweetly, sarcasm dripping from her words. As always whenever she used sarcasm, he was momentarily confused, since she almost never used it.

"The Advocate did that to you?" He asked in disbelief, guilt ebbing at him slightly. It felt strange to say her father's title to her.

"Well, he yelled first, then I tried to argue with him, then he did it," She replied, and her mind remembered it too vividly.

* * *

"_Aliyanadevoralundar, what's this I hear about you spending a lot of time with that Koschei of Oakdown? I've heard things from Irving Braxiatel, and I'm not sure that you've been behaving respectably…" Her father lectured, his impressive beard almost bobbing with the amount of vigour he was putting into his words._

"_I've done nothing immoral, Father, I have a conscience and I know what I believe in! I have the right to spend time with and be friends with whoever I like!" Aliya cast her eyes around the extravagant room of the house she had grown up in as a child. She did not add that what she believed to be immoral was different from what he believed was._

"_Right? You have the right to listen to your parents, you ignorant child! And that Theta Sigma, well, he may not be the best influence either, but at least he had the sense to inform me of your closeness to the Oakdown boy." He looked displeased._

"_Theta told you?" She could feel herself almost shaking with anger and betrayal._

"_Yes, and I'm not sure that I approve of you being acquainted with so many males, daughter, do you spend time with females, as you should?"_

"_Yes, actually, Ushas of Mirraflex," She retorted, and he looked thoughtful._

"_From an Oldblood house that has begun to produce many rebels and renegades…there is the potential for both a great asset and example of a friend as well as someone just as bad as that Koschei of Oakdown? Which is she?"_

"_Both, Father," She replied smartly, and he bristled at her tone._

"_Enough of that smugness! You will not see that Koschei of Oakdown any more, do you hear me?"_

"_You don't have the right to control my life, Father, it's _my _life for a reason!" She snapped, and his face contorted with rage. His hand flew out and struck her across the cheek with such as a force that she was forced backwards, clutching her jaw while watching him with both defiance and pain swimming in her watering eyes._

"_If you don't start respecting what I say, I'll have you moved to the Arcalian Academy, understood?" He said in a low tone, and she nodded before leaving for the transmat chamber of the residential property._

* * *

She had been mad at Theta for weeks, but eventually her anger had faded. Six months after that, she and Koschei got into a fight, and she came running back to her best friend like she had back in the beginning.

It had been four years since she had let Koschei back in the first time, and she was in Theta's room again, crying. If he remembered correctly, this would be the sixth time that she had left him. He also knew that it wouldn't last, that Koschei would get to her and that she would go back to him. It was an endless cycle.

"You were right," She was saying, sitting in front of him on his bed, tears staining her cheeks. "You're always right. But then he gets inside my head, and I don't know what's right and what's wrong. He scares me, Theta, it's unnatural, it's like he's controlling me, and I don't know what to do-" She broke off into a sob, and he took her in his arms and let her cry until there were no tears left.

And later, when she went back to Koschei yet again, he reached for the shirt which she had covered with her tears, and he held it, wondering how much more either of them could take of this deadly game of emotional yo-yo.

That was the moment that he realised that he needed to bring in a new player, someone that would throw Koschei off for good.

He needed Ushas.

* * *

**Because, really, who better to knock some sense into Aliya's screwed up head that the no-nonsense, straight up and to-the-point bad-ass that is the Rani? Even if she's not the Rani yet...**

**Please let me know what you thought in a review!**

**-MayFairy :)**

**p.s. As you may have already realised, this story will be quite a good way for NuWho fans out there to learn about the Classic series...which is epic.**


	6. Tangled Strings

**Due to my current obsession with the Rani, Ushas is in a lot of this chapter. Yes, there is a Koschei/Ushas moment, because Master/Rani is an EPIC BEYOND WORDS pairing that has turned romance haters into shippers with its infinite amount of EPIC. **

**Now, this chapter is again pretty dark and screwed up, again (especially the first scene), Koschei's fault, of course. But by the end it gets better.**

* * *

"Koschei, let go of me!"

Aliya did her best to run, to get back to her room and think, but he was faster than her, his hand caught her wrist with a painful force and yanked her backwards.

"Let go," She screamed, pulling insistently in an attempt to free herself, "Let me go, Koschei!"

"Luna, just shut up, and listen!" He growled. He was winning in their game of tug-of-war, and they were getting closer to his room with every moment, and she didn't want him, he was horrible, and manipulative and –

Oh.

He had flung open his bedroom door before using her to close it once they were inside, pressing her against it as he forced a kiss on her, lips coaxing, and she felt some part of her relax immediately, while the other struggled against his grip.

Koschei could feel her mental divide and her physical struggle, and cursed internally. But it wasn't hard to fix, her mind was not especially strong and he was powerful in a way that no one else was. He remedied the problem by bring his hand up to her head, tangling in her hair and touching her temple as he brought their foreheads together at the same time.

She realised what he was trying to do, and she tried to pull away from him, her fists pounding against his chest, frenzied in her attempt to get away from him. Tears began to fall from her eyes with her desperate sobs and screams as she fought his grip. But he gripped her head in his hands, and brought her head back to his.

The link was made, he once again had the small amount of control that he needed, but he intensified it a little more, and it took only a few seconds before she was kissing him back feverishly, pulling him as close as she possibly could.

"Now, what were you saying, Luna?" He purred smugly, and she knotted her fingers through his hair as he began to pull her away from the door, hitching her legs around him as he led her towards the bed.

"It's all a blur," She said vaguely as she undid his jacket buttons, her soul suddenly calm, her only thoughts were solely focused on him. "Nothing important, I don't don't think…"

"No," He said smoothly, undoing her corset bindings, "It wasn't."

And that was the end of that conversation.

* * *

"We agreed that I was able to spend as much time with Theta as I wanted!" Aliya spat angrily, and he shot her a glare.

"That the first time. This is what, the seventh? Eighth? Ninth? How many times have you crawled back to me, because every time you realise that it's me that you want, not him?" He snarled, and his words made her heart deflate, causing feelings of worthlessness and weakness run through her, and the worst part was that she knew that they were accurate.

"At least he cares about me!" She shouted, getting in his face. "He cares, whenever I actually have the brains to leave you, he's always there, and even when I'm still _stupid _enough to be calling myself yours, he's always there to try and convince what you really are, how sick and manipulative and perverted you've become compared to the young man I met. Maybe I'll start listening to what he says!"

Koschei's handsome face twisted with jealous ire, his infuriation and infatuation with her combining with his growing hatred for Theta to produce a blind rage.

"You're so weak-minded, you succumb to me every time, you'll never listen, it will never be him, it will always be me!" He roared as he flung her backwards with the force of his adrenaline fuelled fury. She flew back against the wall, and he met her betrayed glance with a cold stare. "You're mine," He said darkly, and she nodded. "Look at me," He commanded, and she turned to meet his eyes, the swirling pools of hypnotising green. They calmed her, and she found her troubles fading from her mind until they were gone completely.

Her hand came up to touch his cheek tenderly. "I love you, Koschei…even if you do get angry sometimes." She said with an innocent smile, and he returned it, kissing her with surprising softness.

* * *

"_You know what? If you love your precious Theta so much, just go to him! See if I care!" Koschei yelled, storming away from her._

"_Koschei, stop! I didn't mean it like that, really, please, Koschei," She called after him, but he didn't stop. She was left standing there, alone._

It had been two weeks since then, and Aliya felt her lonely heart ache for the blonde man she was in love with. She closed her eyes in an attempt to shut the feelings out before she opened them and continued the lengthy task of braiding most of her hair. When she had done so, she twirled the braids into the high bun and put the band that had Omega's crest woven into it to keep it up. She let some of the hair fall around her face before trying a smile in the mirror and not finding it particularly believable.

She smoothed her smart blue dress and left the room. The 'social function' had already started, but it didn't matter what time one arrived. It was basically a party, only they showed various projects that everyone had done, so it was a little more formal, just teasing and critiquing. It was a strange thing, but it helped her keep her mind off Koschei. She walked in and had barely been there half a minute before Theta practically bounded towards her.

"Aliya! You have to watch the presentations, some of them are amazing! Though, the drinks are also great, it's a good thing that the Professors think that we're responsible enough to do this ourselves…it wouldn't be half as fun!" He said excitedly, practically dragging her over to look at some of the other students work.

It was a good way to keep her mind of Koschei…until she looked across the room to see him walking through the entrance way. She stared, hoping that he would at least acknowledge her, but he stared through her blankly. She bit her lip. Of all the times he had convinced her to come back to him, couldn't she do the same to him, just once?

She made a step towards him, when a warm hand stopped her.

"Don't," Theta said softly, his eyes pleading. "This one time, he's let you go. Can't you see that it's a gift? All the times you've tried to get away…and this time he won't try and get you back."

She shook her head, tears threatening to spring from her eyes. "Theta…I love him. I just…need to talk to him." She looked away from his saddened eyes and walked over to Koschei's direction, but he saw her coming and moved, striking a conversation up with someone else.

Aliya stopped, hurt, and sat down on one of the chairs in the middle of the room. She fiddled with her dress and wondered how she could feel so alone in a room full of people and friends. It wasn't the same without him. She was grateful when Ushas came to sit by her.

"So, I took a look at your Astrophysics project…" The other woman said, and Aliya looked at her with curiosity, knowing of Ushas's scientific prowess and valuing her opinion greatly.

"And?" She found herself asking, but she flicked a glance to Koschei, who was pointedly still talking to someone else, a pretty girl with shiny copper hair, she noticed. Jealousy flared in her heart, but she directed her attention back to her female friend.

"It wasn't bad," Ushas said eventually, which, coming from her, was more of a compliment than she realised, "A bit overly sentimental in terms of the general theme, but still, commendable."

Aliya smiled. "I'm guessing that yours is drop dead brilliant, as always."

"Of course," Ushas smirked. Aliya chuckled, and found herself looking at Koschei again. He was by that point flirting with the girl, and she was giggling and batting her lashes. Obviously, she hadn't been around that long, one of the newer students. An older one wouldn't be so naïve as to go anywhere near him.

She stared too long, Ushas noticed and rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot, Aliya, a sentimental idiot…" She got up and left, but the blonde barely noticed.

Her eyes met Koschei's, and he kept his eyes locked on hers as he whispered in the ear of his female companion, who giggled again, and looked him over with a gaze that made Aliya almost sick with jealousy. She fumed internally and got up to find Theta.

There was music on in the background, and the two of them danced to it like idiots, having fun despite earning disapproving looks from almost everyone else. She looked at Koschei, who was watching her with a newly hardened gaze despite the fact that his arm was hooked around his companion's waist.

Her eyes conveyed a simple message, '_two can play at this game', _and his glare told her that he had indeed received it.

Their strange contest went on for nearly an hour, both pretending not to care, but with Aliya actually looking for an opening to swoop in and get a chance to talk to him. And suddenly, there is was, he was by the door, and his 'friend' had wandered off.

She quickly made for him, and he smirked when he saw her coming.

"Getting jealous, Luna? I didn't think you had it in you…" Koschei sneered.

"Shut up, Koschei!" She said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out into the corridor. "We need to talk."

"What's to talk about? It's pretty simple: Me or him. You seem to be choosing him, so that's it." He said, and made to leave, but she didn't let him.

"You! It's always been you, I choose you, Koschei!" She retorted, and his eyes sparked for a second. With a swift movement, he swapped their positions, he had her cornered against the wall, invading her personal space.

"Good…" He said slowly as he examined her face, noting how her breathing hitched a little in way that he loved, the tiny hint of fear in her eyes never failing to bring him satisfaction. "But if you choose me, then you leave Theta completely. Minimal talking, only to politely get away from him, initiate nothing. It's all or nothing, Luna."

Aliya met his eyes, and instead of replying, kissed him. He chuckled triumphantly against her mouth before fiercely kissing her back. His hands pulled the band out of her hair and the braids fell free, giving him more to grab onto as he pressed her more firmly against the wall.

Unbeknownst to them, Theta Sigma had seen them leave, and followed. He watched as the two of them whispered with a proximity that began to slowly crush the hopefulness he had had about the argument between the two of them. It was destroyed completely when they started kissing, in a way that made him sick to the pit of his stomach, so much so that he didn't have enough room left in his mind to be embarrassed, just anger, worry and a hint of jealousy which he supressed.

He turned away sadly, unnoticed by the two blondes who were rather preoccupied with each other.

* * *

"Ushas," Theta said somewhat nervously as he stood in the doorway of the student lab where she was working unceasingly.

"I'm busy, Sigma, go whine to your precious Ali and leave me to work in peace," She said boredly, holding up a vial to the light to inspect the contents.

"She – she won't talk to me. Koschei's control over her is getting ridiculously dangerous, more than it ever has been before," Theta said quietly. Ushas recorded the last lot of numbers onto the computer next to her before taking her protective eye-wear off and regarding him condescendingly.

"Your tragic little love triangle is hardly any interest or problem of mine," She commented dryly. "I have far better things to do with my time than became an advocate for you, or whatever it is that you want me to do."

"I just want you to talk to her," Theta requested, moving further into the room. "If anyone can knock some sense into her, it would be you, Ushas."

"Why should I bother? It's her own fault for being weak-minded, impressionable and susceptible to manipulation." Ushas raised an eyebrow when he frowned.

"But you admit that Koschei has some kind of power over minds, some kind of persuasion or manipulation?" Theta inquired, and she frowned.

"I admit that the evidence indicates that he may have an ability of such. It's hardly impossible, with Time Lords being so telepathically inclined…" Ushas shrugged, going back to sorting her phials and organising them to where she needed them as he inched closer.

"But will you try and help her?" Theta pressed, "Because I can't?" She turned sharply to glare at him.

"You are making it sound as though I owe you something, which I most definitely do not, quite the opposite!" She snapped, and he recoiled slightly, stepping back.

"Hold on…is this about…us? That I decided that we weren't suited for each other as a couple?" Theta watched her with innocent confusion, feeling a little guilty.

Ushas rolled her eyes. "Don't be so self-opinionated. We are not suited for each other as a couple, a blind person could see it, it's so blatantly obvious. We're not even suited to each other as friends!"

"No…no, I suppose we're not," He said quietly, noting that she had paused in her work and was staring into the distance thoughtfully. "Ushas?" She snapped back to look at him. "Why are you mad at me, then?"

She paused, glancing at him before redirecting her gaze to her working bench. "You made me look like a fool in front of everyone, in public," She answered slowly, not looking at him, "I am not a fool, yet you made me feel like one, made me look like one. It's not something that someone such as myself forgets easily."

"This is about your pride?" He asked sceptically, surprised.

"It is about being made to look like something that I am not!" Ushas barked as she shot a glare over her shoulder at him. "Your juvenile and immature actions were to blame."

"I'm…I'm sorry, Ushas." Theta said unsurely, wanting to reach out and touch her shoulder, but feeling too intimidated by her presence to dare do so.

"Leave me alone, Sigma," She muttered, and seeing that he was about to say something and anticipating his words, she cut him off. "I'll talk to Aliya, if you wish. It may be an inconvenience, but it will be worth it to see Koschei be beaten at his own game."

Theta felt success flood through him; she was going to do it, however grudgingly. Ushas never did anything halfway. He nodded, though she was turned away from him and he realised that she had not seen it.

"Thank you, Ushas," He said gratefully, and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't get sentimental on me, just hope that I'm able to do what you hope I will. Now leave me alone, I need to finish this, because I'm not going to her until this is complete," Ushas said sharply, and he made haste to leave.

Ushas smiled at the challenge she had been issued. Oh, what fun it would be to mess with Koschei's little game…and he had no idea that someone else was taking a turn, that it would be her making the next move…

* * *

Ushas lingered in the corridor, watching Aliya's bedroom door as Koschei slipped out silently and walked away. She strode towards the door and knocked raptly on the door three times. The door opened to reveal a surprised and confused Aliya.

"Ushas…" She murmured, "Hi."

"May I come in?" Ushas asked, and Aliya nodded and gestured for her to do so.

"Of course…" She said as she and Ushas sat down on the side of her bed. "What is it?"

"It's about Koschei," Ushas began, and Aliya frowned, shuffling back a little.

"Oh, not you too, Ushas, can't you all just accept that he makes me happy?" She said sadly, looking at the other woman with a new kind of anticipation.

"Happy in your heavyily delusional mind, perhaps!" Ushas snapped. "But does his need to control what you do, who you talk to, make you happy? Does not being able to talk to Theta make you happy? Does getting covered in bruises like the one on your collarbone make you happy?"

Aliya looked at the purple bruise Ushas was referring to, and pulled her dress over it, biting her lip.

"None of you understand," She said quietly.

"Of course we don't understand!" Ushas said with a roll of her dark brown eyes, "Because it only makes sense in his twisted mind, and consequently, _your _twisted mind."

Aliya said nothing, merely fiddled with her hands in lap. Ushas frowned, but went over the plan she had thought of in her head, and decided that it worth a try, because mere convincing wasn't going to do it.

"I apologise in advance for what I'm about to do, but this is getting out of hand, and everyone else is too polite to do what has to be done to cut off his influence," She explained, and Aliya looked up with a confused and fearful expression.

"What do you mean?" She whispered.

"Don't fight it, or I will use anaesthesia on you," Ushas commanded, and Aliya watched with wide eyes as the other woman moved their hands so that both were touching the temple of the other, and then Ushas drove their heads together with the force of a battering ram.

For both, the world suddenly went black.

_Aliya found herself standing in a strange place, one with no ground, but something solid and white that wasn't really there. She realised that Ushas was standing next to her, a thoughtful expression on her face._

"_What have you done?" Aliya demanded, looking around furiously, "Where are we?"_

"_We're inside your mind," Ushas said vaguely, "How incredibly interesting."_

"_And you think that that's okay, to just invade my mind like that?" Aliya asked in horror, and Ushas rolled her eyes._

"_A little hypocritical coming you, don't you think? Your Koschei never stops invading your mind." Ushas retorted, causing the blonde to fall silent. "Still, it's nice to see that you actually still have some resilience in there somewhere. Hopefully when this is all over, we'll see more of it…he's sucked it out of you."_

"_What are we doing here?" Aliya looked around, trying to absorb the fact that she was inside her own mind. It looked like a garden of some kind, only with different threads of light of different sizes and colours instead of plants._

"_You need to see it," Ushas said simply, and pointed to the 'garden'. "Look, can you see all the brightly coloured strands? That's your mind, and it's pure and good. There's intelligence and resilience and fortitude, common sense seems to be in there too…that might even be bravery wedged in there somewhere. Can you see that?"_

"_Yes…they have an…an aura, or something like that, you just sort of…know." Aliya agreed with a nod, and then bit her lip. "What are all the black strands? There's so many…they're horrible, they're masking so many of the others."_

"_You know what they are…your mind is telling you, you could sense it from the moment you looked at them, you're just stubbornly refusing to accept what those strands are and who caused them to be there," Ushas said knowingly, and one glance at the blonde woman told her that she was, of course, right._

_Aliya didn't say anything for several moments, she merely stared at the black strands. There were a lot of the brighter strands, but the black ones had snaked in, twisted around almost everything, and she could see some strands being choked by them, others becoming poisoned by the darkness, their light beginning to fade. Eventually, she spoke the word that she had been refusing to think._

"_Koschei." The whisper was almost lost in the distance between the two females, but Ushas nodded._

"_And that's why it's wrong. He's poisoning your mind, something that he has no right to do. Now come, it's time to fix it." Ushas said, and Aliya frowned._

"_What do you mean?"_

_Ushas bent by the strands, touching one of the brighter ones, and Aliya jumped, feeling the contact inside her own head. Now there was a recursive spatial paradox if there ever was one._

"_If we break the black ones, you'll remember all the things he made you forget, all the times he forced you to see things his way, and your mind will be fresh from his influence." Ushas explained, and Aliya's eyes widened. But after a few seconds, she nodded._

"_I love him, though, Ushas, what will I do?"_

"_Perhaps you do love him," Ushas shrugged, "Perhaps you only think you do…we shall see." Ushas wrapped her hands around one of the black threads, and let out a grunt._

"_What's wrong?"_

"_It's not exactly pleasant, it's dark and powerful," Ushas said, "And you have to do this too, not just me." Aliya looked unsure but added her hands to the strand, and when Ushas snapped it, she jumped and clutched her head as the strand turned to dust that began to show a picture, a memory._

_It was her, pressed against something, crying and struggling against Koschei's grip, telling him to stop, to let go…but he reached for her head, and –_

_The picture vanished. And suddenly Aliya was determined to continue. Ushas smiled in triumph._

_They did the same for all the other black strands, and Aliya saw terrible things, things he had rewritten, things that he had made her see differently, the scale of just how sick and twisted the entire relationship was made her want to throw up._

_But with each black thread that they snapped, Aliya could feel a weight lifting off her head. Eventually, they were all gone._

"_Now, all we have to do is put in something to stop him from getting more in, and we'll be done here." Ushas said. "Give me your hand, I'll help you with this." Aliya did as she was told. They focused their minds together, and a thin layer of translucent gold began to coat all of the strands. "That should keep him at bay, for a while. Enough for him to think that it's permanent, anyway."_

_Aliya shot a look at Ushas, lost for words. "Thank you."_

_Ushas said nothing, and before Aliya could say anything more, the world again faded to black._

Aliya opened her eyes to find herself staring into Ushas's brown eyes. They both slowly lowered their hands and shared strange, unsure smiles.

"So…he won't be able to...control me?"

"Not easily…and I think now you've got enough resilience to fight him a little. And if you need to break his concentration, just knee him between the legs, that usually does it," Ushas said as she got up and smoothed her hands on her robes. "I'd go and see Theta, if I were you, he'll probably want to see you, and let Koschei come to you."

"After everything I've done to Theta, he has the right to never want to talk to me again…" Aliya said worriedly, and Ushas smirked as she shook her head knowingly, one foot out of the door.

"He'll forgive you in ten seconds, he could never be mad at _you," _She corrected. "If you tell him that you're finally letting Koschei go, it will be like a birthday present for him."

"But why? I don't deserve his forgiveness that easily…" Aliya bit her lip, and Ushas chuckled.

"You really are oblivious, aren't you?" She said, amused as Aliya shot her a blank, confused look. "That boy's in love with you."

"What?"

But Ushas was already gone.

* * *

Aliya found Theta in the Earth info-archive, staring at the three-dimensional hologram of the planet. He looked around, and when he saw her, turned back to the hologram.

"Theta?"

"Shouldn't you be with your precious Koschei?" He said bitterly, looking at the information displayed on the edges of the picture.

"Ushas talked to me," Aliya told him unsurely, and he turned to look at her, suddenly more accepting and with a hint of hope in his eyes.

"And?" He asked, waiting.

"We did a sort of…mental collaboration…we think that we broke his power over me." She explained, and his face split into a huge grin, and he bounded towards her and gave her a hug so enthusiastic that she was lifted off the ground as he held her close, his relieved laugh echoing in her ear. His happiness was infectious, her own mouth opened in a large smile as he partially spun her around.

"So you're not going to go back to him?"

"Hopefully not, I'm going to put up a fight," She replied. They stayed like that for thirty seconds, when suddenly Theta's body tensed.

"Koschei," He said with forced calm, and Aliya turned to see the young blonde man standing in the doorway with a sour expression.

"Now, Luna, I believe you forgotten one of the most important rules," He drawled, glaring at both of them.

"Enough of your rules, Koschei," She snapped with strength that surprised everyone in the room. She found that Theta's presence next to her helped her resilience considerably.

"That's what you always say," He said with a smirk as he took a step towards her, "It never makes any difference in the end."

"This time is different."

"'This time is different…'" He quoted mockingly, "Check. Been there too. I've heard it all before, Luna, you never mean it."

"You're sick," Theta said with revulsion. "I can't believe I never saw this side of you."

"I keep it well hidden, Theta, even from myself, but it was always there, the drums coaching it along…" Koschei said grandly, looking proud.

"You're mad," Theta whispered.

"Gladly." Came the retort.

Aliya squared herself before looking the blonde man full in the eye. "Stay away from me, Koschei, I don't ever want to talk to you again…" He stared right back, stretching his mind out to hers, though no difference was made. Frowning, he reached his hands out to her head. Theta made to stop him but Aliya shot him a look. She knew that Koschei would have to have proof, but she hoped that it would work.

His mind brushed hers, but could not intrude, Aliya could feel the sheath of gold protecting her mind from him. He pulled away furiously, his eyes full of rage.

"What have you done?" He spat, "I can't touch you."

"You have Ushas to thank," Aliya said with mock sweetness, "She knocked some sense into me and helped me build a barrier. I'm not yours anymore, Koschei, and I never will be."

"Ushas…I should have known!" He muttered, and glanced up, still angry in a way that frightened both of the other two people in the room. "You know what? I have better things to do with my time than trying to keep hold of a whining girl who's more interested in her pathetic best friend, anyway." He stormed from the room.

Aliya stared at the door, still trying to comprehend it. "It worked…I'm free…I'm not…his," She whispered, and began to laugh with nervous relief. She turned to smile at the stunned but ecstatic Theta, and they shared a triumphant hug.

* * *

"Ushas!" A bellowing voice rang out in the distance of the corridor, and Ushas rolled her eyes, knowing who it would be.

As he entered, before he could say anything, she began with, "So, I take it that my meddling was successful?"

"You had no right to interfere!" He shouted, livid.

"And you did?" She snapped, turning to glare at him pointedly. He advanced on her like a predator.

"She was mine, and you've as good as taken her from me," He seethed, backing her up against a workbench.

"She was yours only through manipulation and deceit, an ownership that she broke of her own free will, with help from myself. Go back to your room and sulk, Koschei, you've lost this battle, now leave me in peace!" She told him, not liking how close his face was to hers.

"Oh, I plan to do much more than that…I'm going to begin to plan how to get off this planet when I graduate, plan how I can make other, lesser beings bow to me…I don't need her." He spat.

She thought that after that he was finally going, but he was regarding her a strange new expression, one that she recognised a second too late. He crushed his lips to hers, and she found herself momentarily enjoying it, before coming to her senses and punching him squarely in the jaw.

Koschei scowled as he backed away, hand on his face where she had hit him. "You taste foul anyway, there's a bitter, sour aftertaste, I'm not even surprised, I was just curious."

"Get out of here you immature fool," She said irritably, dragging her hand across her mouth with revulsion, trying to get the taste of him off her lips.

He was a manipulative, psychotic idiot, and she was _not _going to let herself think about those few seconds were kissing him had been incredibly pleasant.

Definitely not.

* * *

"Theta?" Aliya asked slowly as they were leaving the Earth info-room.

"Yeah?"

"You do realise that it wasn't just him, don't you?"

"What do you mean?" He seemed uneasy, suddenly watching her with worry.

"I did love him, it wasn't all his manipulation…I still do," She admitted.

"You still love him?" He repeated, anger and hurt coming through in his voice.

"Not enough," She said sharply, cementing the fact that she would never go back to him, "But yes. So I'm not going to be the happiest person for a while. I just thought that you should know that it's going to take me some time to let it go."

Theta nodded slowly, less okay with it than he appeared, but understanding. "That's okay. I'll be here if you need me."

"I know," She smiled gently, and they walked off to their rooms.

* * *

Koschei didn't make any more moves, which they were both grateful for. Six months passed, and still nothing.

Aliya sat on the red grass, her heart beating just a little faster knowing that she was technically breaking the Academy rules by leaving the Citadel. But Theta had insisted that there would be a meteor shower that night, and had wanted to show her what it could be like first hand. The only problem was that he wasn't here yet.

She watched the twins suns finishing their journey across the sky, almost gone behind the horizon. She sighed happily and lent her head on her knees, which were pulled to her chest as she sat underneath the shady tree with its drooping silver branches.

Rustling behind her alerted her to Theta's presence, and she turned to grin at the young brunette man as he pushed the branches out of the way and came to sit down next to her.

"Hey," She grinned, and he mirrored her smile with his own.

"Hey. Look who's turned into a real rebel, then." He teased, and she hit him lightly on the arm.

"Watching a meteor shower isn't _extremely _rebellious," She defended despite not being bothered by his teasing. "And who turned me into a rule-breaker, who was it?" Her light sarcasm caused him to pretend to think carefully, rubbing his chin with mock thoughtfulness.

"I don't know, but it must have been someone very kind, impossibly funny and devastatingly good-looking." He said seriously, still rubbing his chin.

"Nah, he was just really immature," She said simply, and he pretended to look offended. "Cute, though." He grinned.

"Ah, you can't get enough of me, really," He said with waggling eyebrows as he put an arm around her shoulders. She smiled and leant into his shoulder.

They stayed like that for a few moments before a thought occurred to her that she had all but forgotten about. It was a touchy subject that she was a little worried about entering, but recently, she had begun to feel different around Theta, her chest tightening whenever she saw him, and it reminded her of how she used to react to Koschei.

She had feelings for Theta Sigma. And it was time to find out if he returned those feelings.

"Theta," She began quietly, nervously biting her lip.

"Yeah?"

"Ushas told me something, a while ago, just after she helped me with Koschei…she told me…that you're in love with me." She whispered, heart pounding with fear and anticipation. His body stiffened and he looked at her with an unusual expression.

"Did she?" He asked, his voice strangely forced.

Aliya nodded slowly. "I was just…wondering…if it was true."

His eyes met hers, captivating her. "And if it were?" His voice was questioning, but then he quickly added, "Hypothetically?"

She swallowed in a very deliberate manner before taking a deep breath and saying the words in her mouth before she lost the courage to say them.

_Come on, Aliya, take a risk for once!_

"Then…hypothetically…I would tell you that I think I feel the same way," She replied shakily, and some kind of triumph passed through his beautiful green eyes. She raised her hand to touch his cheek, and he covered her hand with his, trapping it there and closing his eyes briefly at her touch.

He eventually pulled her hand down, just holding it while staring into the blue and green eyes that had trapped him from almost the moment when they had first lit up for him.

Slowly, aware of her hitched breath and her tightened grip on his hand as she realised what he was about to do, Theta leaned in, slowly, hesitantly, closing the already small gap between them. His soft lips brushed hers, and she brought her free hand up to lightly touch his face, leaning into the kiss, feeling how unsure he was and trying to show him that he didn't have to be.

He pulled away after what seemed like forever – and she wished that it had been – and she could feel his breath on her cheek.

"Hypothetically, huh?" He whispered, and Aliya let out a shaky laugh, and soon they were both laughing at their own shyness. He gave her another brief kiss for fun, then forced her to sit back and watch the meteors fall, which, admittedly, she did love.

But during the whole thing, despite not kissing her at all after that…

He didn't let go of her hand.

* * *

**Okay, I know how random the 'inside her mind' sequence, and I am really worried that you'll all hate it, but that's just how it happened. If it's REALLY bad, say so, and I will rewrite it more simply.**

**On the bright side...EPIC THETA/ALIYA CUTNESS! XD And epic Rani/Ushas BAMFishness. Which, according to Mrs. 11th and I, is a legitimate word. Say it isn't. I dare you. See what the Rani does to prove you wrong.**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you thought!**

**-MayFairy :)**


	7. Fun with Consequences

**This is fluffy, with a little bit of an argument bit but not really. :) There might be a little bit of trouble later, though...**

* * *

"Organize yourselves into two lines, students, females on my left and males on my right."

Professor Borusa's command was met with a wordless shuffling of feet as the students made haste to follow it with as little noise as possible. Insolence and misbehaviour were not tolerated at all by Borusa, something that everybody knew all too well.

Theta Sigma and Aliyanadevoralundar purposefully positioned themselves next to each other, and exchanged a grin before facing the front and listening to their instructions.

Every fifty years, a field trip was organized by the Academy to take the students across the mountains in a scenic route, both to teach them a number of things: discipline, to stamp out distrust between peers, the geography of the mountains first hand, to take their own samples which they would use back in the Academy labs, and as a chance to visit the secondary city on the other side of the planet, Arcadia. Naturally, to physically cross a planet took a long time, despite their going by advanced hover crafts, it would take them five weeks, as much of the time would be used for resting, eating, observing and sample-taking.

Every hover craft was on autopilot, and were more like hovering carriages than crafts. It was four students to a craft, with the teachers in the front hover crafts.

It was guaranteed to be a great trip.

* * *

Theta and Aliya had made sure that they were in a hover craft with Ushas and Drax, two people who amused them endlessly. Ushas wasn't so pleased by the arrangement; Aliya suspected she had secretly been hoping to be put with Magnus.

Theta and Aliya sat across from the two of their friends and laughed as Ushas was reluctantly pulled into a story that Drax was telling her. Aliya lent against Theta happily and felt his arm wrap around her. Her head fit perfectly into the crook of his neck and she sighed with contentment.

Ushas pretended to gag in the background, but they paid her no attention. How could anything detract from the fact that they had over five weeks together, most of which was completely out of sight from any authority figures?

"All I can say is this," Ushas said after three hours, "We have five weeks in this thing. If you are going to have sex in here, please give us advance warning."

Aliya and Theta's faces immediately turned the scarlet colour of grass and they both put a half metre of distance between themselves.

"That's….just uncalled for, Ushas," Aliya spluttered, "We obviously aren't going to do anything of the sort. We've only been together a few months!"

"And you two have been eyeballing each other since you first met, so I believe you will be able to compensate. Still, it's good to hear that you don't have any kind of intentions for this trip." Ushas rolled her eyes and went back to her book on Organic Chemistry. Theta and Aliya struck up a conversation with Drax and left Ushas to her own devices.

* * *

A few days into the mountains, snow was all around them and had forced all of the young Time Lords-to-be to bundle up in thick coats over top of their robes. They hopped out of the carriages, the hundreds of sturdy regulation boots hitting the snow with echoing thuds across the plain where all the vehicles had stopped. All hair was tied back and bundled into the warm hats they were forced to wear, from the back, it was hard to determine the gender of someone through guesswork.

After being ordered to set off with their collection kits to gather snow and dirt samples from the mountains, the students dispersed in various directions, social cliques forming at the same time. Aliya found her eye wandering and saw a sour-faced Koschei trudging in the opposite direction from her group, completely alone. Their eyes met for a second and his flashed with disgust before he turned away.

"What are you looking at?" Theta asked vaguely as he tried to follow her line of sight and failed. Aliya broke out of her daze and shrugged as she held her hand to her eyes in an attempt to deflect the sunlight which was joyously bouncing off the snow all around them.

"Nothing…it's just…this place is beautiful. We don't usually get to see much natural beauty around here, we're usually stuck in the Citadel. I've never even felt liquid precipitation on my skin or seen it without a dome of glass in-between…we barely touch the world we live in," Aliya said quietly, wistful melancholy in her voice. Theta frowned as her words sunk in.

"You've never felt the rain?" He repeated. Aliya shook her head slowly, eyes watching him. "The Deca went out one time as a group, we all wanted to see what it was like for different reasons. It was a magical moment."

The longing in Aliya's eyes only grew at his words. "Describe it to me, what it looks like, how it feels," She whispered, and his hand covered her own before lifting it between them, eyes tender and enlightened.

"It's like the sky is crying…you look up and all you can see are red clouds, and it hits your skin. It's not gentle but it doesn't hurt or tickle. I could show you, if you like," Theta said softly as the fingers of his left hand travelled up to her temple questioningly only for Aliya to shake her head.

"No…it's something I want to experience fully…not halfway through somebody else's memories," She said firmly.

"Aliyanadevoralundar, promptly return yourself and my brother to the duty you are supposed to be performing before I am forced to report you to Borusa," came a familiar voice from nearby. Aliya and Theta whipped around to see Braxiatel giving them a pointed gaze of reprimand. The two youngsters ducked their heads.

"Yes, Lord Braxiatel, at once, sir," The blonde girl called out before they both turned around and made to join Ushas, Drax, Magnus and Mortimus, who were all some distance away.

As they walked, Theta craned his neck upwards to study the clear orange sky that sprawled above them and Aliya followed his gaze.

"One day, Ali, one day soon…I'm going to take you out into the rain," He promised sincerely, and Aliya beamed at him and thanked him excitedly as her hand settled in his as it so often did. They joined the others and pretended to be busy while Ushas and Magnus did all the work, though they tried not to gape like fish when Magnus said something that made Ushas laugh. Not her usual smug snicker of amusement, but a full-on hearty laugh.

Ushas. Laughing. Two previously mutually exclusive ideas that were now meeting in a bizarre fashion. Her eyes sparkled with disconcerting happiness that made Theta and Aliya exchange a look of disbelief that wasn't unseen by Ushas. Immediately she reverted back to her usual self.

"What are you two gaping at?" She snapped, and they quickly shook their heads and wandered off, though they could hear her laughing with Magnus again as they did so.

Aliya's eyes flicked back towards where the rest of their friends were kneeling in the snow. "She seems to really like him…it's strange because I always imagined her as a person who wasn't incompatible with people in that way…but that's such a ridiculous thing to think."

Theta laughed and looped his arm around her shoulders. "No, it's actually just the way everybody thinks about her, only that no one has come out and said it that simply before."

"Are you just saying that to make me feel better?" The blonde girl leaned against him and he chuckled.

"Only a little, I promise…" His words were serious and made her frown at him indignant in a way that came across far more endearing than threatening. He lightly pinched her nose that was reddened from the cold and grinned when she glared at him. "You shouldn't try to be frightening or intimidating, Ali." Her eyes narrowed but the overall effect was similar to that of a kitten attempting to scare someone; it only made them cuter.

"Stop looking at me like that," She said, suddenly flushing self-consciously, though there was a hint of indignance in her eyes too, "You're giving me the same look you give your Flubble when she does something incredibly adorable."

"Exactly," He grinned before kissing her to make sure that she didn't try to argue with him anymore. Immediately she melted as his gloved hands caressed her cheek – warming them up in the process – and her arms dazedly looped around his neck. He lifted her off of her feet and swung her around for the fun of it. Their blissful moment was ruined all too soon by Ushas, however.

"To anyone nearby who happens to be sucking someone else's face off," She said loudly with a clear intent, "They would do well to stop as Borusa is making his way over here."

The effect was instant. The two of them froze and broke apart immediately. Theta fixed Aliya's hat as they walked, as it had gone askew and several curls of hair had fallen out, which he quickly rectified. Because they were not going to be caught by Borusa and separated for the entirety of the trip, which would surely be the punishment they would get.

* * *

Several weeks later, after much mischief, fun, and mass lectures, there was only a few days until they arrived at Arcadia, and the rules being enforced on them seemed to have less and less threat as they went. So at their next stop, Theta decided to wreak havoc by grabbing a bit of snow and throwing it at Ushas's turned back. She didn't give him the satisfaction of retaliating, however.

"I am not getting involved in your childish game, Sigma…it's primitive to get enjoyment out of throwing frozen water particles at others." With that she walked off, and Aliya and Theta just smirked. Of course, it only took seconds for a full-on war to bloom as the two of them plus Drax and Mortimus began launching balls of the snow at each other. Naturally, Aliya and Theta were determined to pummel each other, so Theta immediately picked Mortimus for the young man's tactical prowess, leaving Aliya with Drax. She was not in any way disappointed as Drax was an incredibly good-natured and amusing person.

"So, Blondie, what's the plan?" He asked as they hid behind a giant rock.

"You take Mortimus and I get Theta," She replied with a glint in her eyes.

Drax smiled. "You know, I don't know why I bothered to ask."

"Neither do I, Drax, neither do I…" She murmured with a grin before the full frontal assault began.

The two teams charged at each other with battle cries and Aliya found herself immediately being pelted by balls of snow that all seemed to be coming from Theta. He was an incredibly good shot. For a good ten minutes she and Drax managed to hold their own against their opponents but slowly they were being driven back. Appearing from the sky, Theta bounded over a hill and flung snow at her from mid-air before landing a few feet behind her. She squealed in surprise at the unexpectedness of the attack and the cold of the snow, and glanced over her shoulder before trying to run from him – it didn't occur to either of them to think about the absence of Drax and Mortimus. Why would they? All that mattered was beating the other in the childish game.

Her hand was caught by Theta and she was forced to slow as he pulled her towards him with a pleased smirk on his face. Before she could decide how to react, however, it was raining snow over her. Aliya flicked her eyes up to spot his hand sprouting above their heads, sprinkling the white ice all over them. She couldn't help but giggle, everything he did simply seemed incredibly endearing to her, albeit a little eccentric.

But she wasn't done by a long shot. Bending over quick enough to take him by surprise, she sent a snowball straight into his bewildered face. Satisfied, she bent to form another, only to have him grab her from behind and pull her against him."Let…me…go!" She said as she tried and failed to wriggle out of his grip while doing her best not to laugh.

"Why would I do that…when I can do this?" Theta firmly held her torso as he lifted her into the air, her legs kicking out in front of them like a helpless insect.

Again she squealed loudly. "Theta…put me down, it's not funny…" Naturally her words were less believable when they were said between giggles, so her attempts at negotiation had rather backward results. "I am so going to…get you for this! Put…me…down!"

Her voice had little to no authority, but the one that followed it did.

"Yes, Theta Sigma…Put. Her. Down." Borusa's powerful tones caused them both to figuratively jump out of their skin. Aliya hit the ground with a thump and she nearly lost her balance due to how quickly she'd been dropped. Theta shot her an apologetic look as he set her right on her feet before reluctantly meeting Borusa's eyes.

"Sorry, Lord Borusa," He said with surprising calm and a gracious smile, "She had a Tafelshrew on her foot, I was trying to help her flick it off, you see, sir."

Aliya was unsure of whether to be impressed at his quick thinking or apprehensive at the somewhat unconvincing statement. Borusa seemed to share her views on the latter as he looked upon them with a distinctly unimpressed expression. "Don't insult my intelligence by fabricating ridiculous tales, Sigma," He said flatly.

"But it's true, sir, it simply came up and attacked her, and-" Theta's tale - which was only digging him into a deeper hole – was cut short by Borusa's interruption.

"Enough, Sigma," Borusa said so forcefully that they both snapped to solemn attention. "I'll see you both in my carriage, now."

"Sorry, sir," The boy stammered as they followed the professor back through the snow.

"Tafelshrew?" Aliya whispered with disbelief as they walked. "Really? Of all the things, you go for _Tafelshrew_? They aren't found anywhere near here…everyone knows that!"

"I didn't see you coming up with any better ideas," He muttered back, and she promptly said nothing else on the subject. She really did have a tendency to criticize other people's ideas when she had offered none…

When they were in Borusa's carriage – a highly luxurious and spacious place, they noted – he sat down in his heavily cushioned chair while gesturing at the two person seat opposite him. They obediently sat down and guiltily waited for their punishment to be given. Borusa watched them with that gaze of his that made one want to both cringe and laugh. At the moment, the two students could not imagine doing the latter, and barely resisted the urge to stare at their laps. Or rather, Theta did. Aliya was placidly fiddling with her fingers instead of doing as her friend bravely did and staring Borusa in the eye.

"Now…you must realize that you are here for several reasons…the first being a failure to complete the work given to you. Secondly: Disruptive behaviour through noisy and rowdy physical activity. Thirdly: Inappropriate physical contact. Do you accept these accusations?" Borusa eyed them both and noted that the blonde girl's head bobbed up and down in an obvious nod. However, this did not satisfy him. "Miss Aliyanadevoralundar, I expect you to look me in the eye when I am talking to you." Her head snapped up immediately, colour in her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, sir. Yes, I accept the accusations," She blurted.

"It would be foolish of you not to," Borusa said coolly. "Theta Sigma, do you?"

"Not much point denying it when she hasn't, is there?" Theta retorted only for Aliya to give him a dirty look.

"Don't be pedantic," Came Borusa's irritated reply. "The two of you are to be in separate carriages for the remainder of the journey." The two young students nodded, having expected what they were going to get. They were not prepared for what came after, however. "And I shall be paying visits to The Houses of Arpexia and Lungbarrow to inform them of your behavior."

Theta and Aliya felt themselves freeze at their superior's words. For all their speculation on punishment, the one he had just named had not even crossed their minds. And considering how it was the most frightening possibility, they realized that they really, really should have done so.

Finally, the younger of the two found her words again.

"With all due respect, Lord Borusa," She said, trying to stop her voice from wobbling in fear, "I don't think that your visiting our Houses is necessary, as we only-"

"Miss Aliyanadevoralundar, do _not _advise me on how to execute punishments, especially not your own. I imagine that you are intelligent enough to see the flaw in that?" Borusa's voice had abruptly cut off her with a reprimand which transitioned into a mocking question.

Aliya stayed very still, partly because she was afraid that she would show her fear or say something to him that would only land her in more trouble. But her cheeks held a twinge of pink at his somewhat insulting mockery.

"Sir, all I meant was-"

"You continue to butt into conversations where your contribution would be better silent!" Borusa's voice rose in volume a little but immediately calmed. "Take that as a warning." Aliya said nothing and merely eyed the floor pointedly. "That's an improvement already. I never thought that I would say this, but you could certainly learn a lot off of Theta Sigma in situations such as this." Aliya's and Borusa's eyes both flicked to Theta, who was calmly meeting Borusa's gaze, having remained silent the whole time. Perhaps Borusa had missed it, but Aliya could see that Theta's ears were bright red. Being his best friend, she knew that this meant he was angry, regardless how well he was hiding it.

Borusa continued to talk. "Now, Theta has learnt his lesson through decades of practice. I hope very much that you will learn much faster." Aliya nodded stiffly. "I am going to inform your parents of this incident, as well as the fact that the two of you are rarely seen apart, which I am sure they will be interested to hear."

Theta's mouth sailed downward into a frown while Aliya took in a large breath sharply. She stood suddenly, her small hands lightly shaking as her different coloured eyes met Borusa's grey ones.

"Permission to leave, sir," she said with quiet and forced calm. He was silent for several seconds before replying.

"Granteed. Return to your carriage, and Theta Sigma shall be substituted with Magnus. As of tomorrow, you are not to interact with each other for the remainder of the trip."

Aliya gave a brief curtsy of respect before leaving the carriage briskly and stepping outside, where the sun had done down and left the camp in darkness. She waited for just under half of a minute until Theta emerged, and wordlessly began to head back to the student carriages.

"Are you okay?" Theta asked, and Aliya came to a halt, which he mimicked. Her brows were furrowed and frown lines creased the forehead of her youthful face.

"I'm…I just…my father, he-" She inhaled rapidly and tried to stop the shiver which was rocking her entire body that had nothing to do with the cold. Theta grabbed her hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze. She looked up at him with troubled eyes. "I'm afraid of what he's going to do. What he'll say."

"It'll be fine, I promise," He told her earnestly.

"You can't know that! No one can! It's okay for you, your parents actually know what the word sympathy means-"

"-you've never met them."

"I don't have to have done so to know that they are nowhere near as bad as my father."

"Ali…what's the worst that could happen?" His attempt to calm her only resulted in her becoming more agitated. She stared at him with disbelief and threw her arms into the air.

"Do you hear yourself? This is Gallifrey!" Aliya yelled the word into the night air as if it were a curse. "Home of the biggest dickheads in the universe, the pompously frigid and supposedly noble morons who think that they have dominion over whoever and whatever they want!" Her passionate speech was not met with the desired reaction.

Instead, Theta gaped at her with awe, and a cheeky yet flawless smile spread across his face. "I don't think I've ever been more attracted to you than I am right now." His eyes were burning with both amusement and a strange longing.

Aliya stared at him with disbelief. "You're impossible." She began to walk away, but his long legs had no problem keeping up with her.

"I mean it, Ali!" He said earnestly as he walked alongside her and marched her quick strides her and matched her quick strides. "A girl who calls Gallifreyan nobles 'dickheads' is a girl after my own heart. That's an Earth insult, where did you learn it, anyway?"

"You can keep your heart for now," The blonde replied coolly, ignoring his question completely.

"Ali-"

"No, Theta, I'm serious! I'm not in the mood, I'm really not, so if you're not going to take this seriously, then just…" She trailed off and looked into the night. "I'll see you at the Citadel. Send Magnus our way, will you?"

With that, she stormed off into the cool Gallifrey night, considering that Ushas would probably favour the new arrangement.

* * *

It was the day after their arrival back at the primary Citadel, and Aliya heard the knock on her door that she had been expecting.

"Come in," She called out, and the door opened to reveal Theta. She wasn't surprised, it was hardly going to be anyone else. Her eyes flicked down to her hair, which was braiding while sitting on her bed. "Hello," she said quietly without looking at him.

"Hello," Aliya felt him sit down on the bed next to her. "You look nice."

"You always say that," She murmured, but finally let her gaze rise to watch him.

"Because I always think so," Theta retorted, "Can I do your hair?"

Aliya raised her eyebrows as if she didn't believe him, and then when it became apparent that he was serious, put her long but unfinished braid into his hands. She scooted around that her back was to him and he had better access. As his long fingers deftly navigated the strands of hair like an expert, Aliya couldn't help but get curious.

"How do you know how to braid hair?" She questioned, and heard him chuckle.

"I was forced to learn once."

"Why were you forced to learn how to braid hair?" It was such a strange concept, and she could imagine his amused smirk from behind her.

His voice was utterly serious when he replied. "It's a story I swore never to tell." There was a short silence before they both burst into fits of laughter. The tension between them lifted within seconds and his arms wrapped around her from behind. She sighed as she leant into him and his nose buried itself into her hair, which he had hastily tied.

"I'm sorry," Aliya ventured after a while, and his arms paused in their gentle stroking of her arms.

"So am I," He replied after another few seconds.

"No, but really…I was so rude to you."

"But I wasn't taking you seriously. Let's both take the blame and leave it at that. I'm listening now…so you're scared. Elaborate." He gently kissed her neck while she began to talk.

"I'm scared of my father…you know that. When you went to him about Koschei, he threatened to move me to the Arcalian Academy," Her voice trembled but was silenced by the masculine hand that covered her lips.

"He can't do that. You're a Prydonian, you _have _to attend this Academy, you're not legally allowed to transfer," Theta assured her gently.

"Are you sure?"

"I took Gallifreyan Law for a few years, worst mistake I ever made, but…"

"Thank you," Aliya whispered, "You always have the right thing to say."

Theta turned her around to face him and brushed a golden strand of hair out o her face. "Sometimes it's better to just not say anything at all."

With that he kissed her with the utmost tenderness, and her hands cupped his face. His kisses peppered her face and she giggled before letting a yawn slip out. He pulled away abruptly.

"You're exhausted," He remarked, and she shook her head decidedly.

"No, I'm fine," She protested, but his lips silenced her again. His arm slipped underneath her legs so that he could lift her up and put her up at the pillows of her bed.

"Sleep, little one," He chided, and she mock sighed before shooting him a resigning smile as she slipped underneath the covers of her bed. He tucked her in as if she were a child and kissed her forehead. Her irritated expression couldn't hold and she laughed before grabbing onto his hand.

"Stay," Aliya asked with a soft smile, which he mirrored without hesitating. She moved along so that he could slide in next to her, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"Good night, Ali," Theta said.

"Good night, Theta," She answered as they fell asleep in tandem. But it didn't stop Aliya from having an unsettling sleep plagued by dreams of her father, enraged. She shuddered in her sleep and feared what the morning might bring.

* * *

**So, hopefully that was enjoyable! It is fun writing these two because of the epic cuteness...though obviously her dad is going to be a bit of a bother in the next chapter, but ah well.**

**Let me know your thoughts in a review, please!**

**-MayFairy :)**

**p.s. if you like the Hunger Games, feel free to check out my Hunger Games fic, which is set in Haymitch's games. :D**


	8. Refusing Conformity

**I seriously love writing Theta/Aliya fluff. Nothing comes more naturally to me, these two were just made to tease and tickle each other under the end of time. :P**

**This is basically all fluff, with a scene in the middle with Aliya's father, and for the first time we meet Aliya's mother, who I realised has been pretty much non-existent until now, so I thought I'd better give her an appearance. And I've decided that she used to call Aliya Vora when she was little, explaining why AliyaIII would later get Anna to call her by that.**

**Enjoy the fluffy times!**

* * *

Waking up and feeling enclosed was something that not every person would enjoy. But Aliya could feel Theta's arms protectively embracing her, her head tucked under his chin, her cheek against his chest…and she couldn't imagine a more pleasant feeling. It felt safe and comforting and stable…soft and warm just like him.

She smiled contently without opening her eyes and snuggled back into his chest. After a while, she shifted without waking him so that she could look at him.

He was still fast asleep, but he held her as if he were aware of it, one hand at her hip and the other wrapped around her torso. But it was his face that she couldn't look away from. In sleep, he was so completely innocent, so peaceful and quiet. So much younger despite his original youth. He was adorable, and she couldn't help but wonder if he knew it. Perhaps that was where his enormous ego came from…

Aliya smiled to herself and lightly ran her fingers up his arm, kissing his chin. After a few minutes Theta's breathing shifted a little, his facial features also changing as Aliya wondered what he was dreaming about.

"Ali…I…" He trailed off, and made a slightly strange noise that Aliya couldn't interpret. How was she involved in his dream? "No, that's cheating…" His murmured sleeptalking was becoming both more amusing and baffling, but the young blonde woman was certainly finding it interesting. He then said her name again, slightly differently, and she felt him stir. He was waking up.

"Theta," She said, biting her tongue a little as she smiled at him cheekily, her hand coming up to his face, "Theta!"

His hands immediately shifted to tighten around her hips and pull her closer while his eyes blearily opened. She giggled, though a little surprised at the slightly forward action.

"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, and his eyes seemed to focus on her before his grip on her became loose and his cheeks turned red.

"Oh! Uh…morning," He said bashfully, and one of his hands rubbed the back of his neck absently.

"Morning," Aliya grinned, before her expression became intrigued again, "What were you dreaming about? You kept saying my name."

If she had thought that his cheeks were red before, they were a blatant scarlet now. "Um…I…was…dreaming about you." He hesitated, as if he were afraid to say more.

"But what about me?"

Theta looked embarrassed, but instead of successfully replying or looking impassive, his gaze wandered from her eyes down to her lips. After lingering there for a few seconds, it dipped down over her body's curves that were partially hidden by the nightgown before snapping up to her face.

Aliya felt herself frown, trying to understand what he wasn't telling her, when it fit together in her head and her eyes widened.

"Oh!" She wasn't sure whether to be as embarrassed as him, or amused by it. "You were dreaming about…us? Doing…that?"

He shook his head a little too quickly. "No! I mean…sort of…not doing _that, _just sort of…that same kind of situation…I'm sorry, Ali."

"It's alright…I suppose it's natural," She replied with a cheeky grin as the situation became funnier to her.

"Natural?" He repeated before considering it. "Well, I suppose, but still…"

She kissed him softly. "It's okay, Theta, I just didn't realise you thought about…that." Having recovered from the embarrassment, his hands gently grasped her shoulders, the pads of his fingertips slowly massaging her skin through the thin material.

"I _am _a man, Ali, just a young one," He smirked and she laughed quietly.

"I apologise for not recognising your masculinity sooner," Her teasing was not appreciated and he brought her lips up to his with intent, and she relaxed into him and her fingers skimmed through his hair. Having pulled down the left shoulder of her nightgown, he dropped a kiss onto it, and she jumped a little upon feeling his lips on her bare skin. "So...why did you grab me when you were waking up?"

Theta hesitated, looking up at her with clear green eyes, "Because I thought I was still dreaming."

"Do you wish you still were?"

"No. Real Ali beats Dream Ali without even trying."

"Oh really? Well, what were we doing in your dream?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yes…about the beginning, anyway. Perhaps not the whole thing."

The meaning behind the words was clear to him and he smiled at her. "Well, your hair was loose, for a start."

Aliya reached for her braid and untied the end before deftly unwinding it. She shook her hair so that it fell down around her, and Theta's eyes warmed a little. He kissed her again, this time more forcefully, and she laughed at his eagerness.

"As much as I care for you, Theta, I just realised that we do have classes in an hour," She reminded him, and he mock sighed.

"I know," He said, "You'd better get dressed."

"But for all intents and purposes, do show me later."

The pair climbed out of her bed somewhat reluctantly, and Aliya pulled out a dress before instructing Theta to cover his eyes. Little did she know that as she pulled off the nightgown and put on her undergarments, he was peeking through his fingers. If she had, she would have gotten incredibly embarrassed.

"Okay, can you lace this up?"

His fingers tied up her bodice slowly, and she could tell he was drawing the moment out. After hearing her cough pointedly at him, he increased speed and finished the job, stepping away from her. Smiling, Aliya took his hand so that they could make their way over to his room, where he could put on slightly less rumpled clothes that he hadn't slept in, before they went to their engineering class.

* * *

The note arrived while the Deca – minus Koschei and plus Aliya – were studying in the library for a primitive histories exam coming up that would span across 10 hours.

Aliya, at that moment light-hearted, beamed at the young messenger in thanks before she recognised the seal on the letter. The girl's stomach abruptly seemed to fall into her feet as her hands shakily unfolded the piece of paper, her eyes then taking in the circles written in her father's hand.

"Ali? What is it?"

When she didn't reply, Theta prised the paper from her fingers and read the words on it. His own face drained of colour a little, but he hid it when his best friend looked at him with fear in her eyes.

"What should I say to him?" The quiet whisper of her voice made his heart pang a little and he grabbed her hand immediately, squeezing it.

"Either the truth," He answered slowly, "Or whatever it is that he wants to hear. I can't make these decisions for you, Ali, you're a grown woman, or close enough."

"Will you come with me up to the transmat? I always feel so nervous going to House Arpexia, even if technically it's my home," Aliya kept a tight hold on his fingers as he nodded and they rose from the table dismissing themselves.

"A home is a place you feel safe and comfortable and happy," Theta said as they walked towards the Academy's transmat bay, "For you, Arpexia is none of those things. I think the Academy is your home, at least right now."

Aliya hesitated, watching him out of the corner of her eye. "I think that…based on that description…my home would be where you are."

"I wish it was that simple," He smiled affectionately and kissed her forehead when they reached the transmat that would take her to Arpexia. Feeling a little stronger, Aliya took a deep breath and stepped into the transmat.

* * *

It felt as if it had been ages since Aliya had walked the halls of Arpexia. Everything was as spotless and shiny as she remembered. She detested it with every fibre of her being. The door that led off into her own childhood home was only a few metres away, and when she reached it she took in several deep breaths before pushing it open.

Her mother, The Botanist, was standing in the grand entrance hall, and smiled warmly upon seeing her. The woman had the same curly blonde hair that her daughter did, as she was still in the regeneration she had conceived Aliya in, but her hair was darker and her face was more lined. Aliya had gained many of her facial features from her father anyway.

"Vora," The older Gallifreyan used her old affectionate name for her daughter before hugging her, "It's been years, you must visit us more often."

"Father never gives me much incentive to," Aliya replied stiffly as she hugged her mother back. "Is he very angry?"

"Not without reason, you have been thoughtless, Vora," The Botanist said sadly with slight accusation in her tone, "Such actions as the ones Cardinal Borusa informed us off are not ones that do not have consequences."

"So having a close male friend is a crime now?" The blonde girl demanded, upset, "He's from Lungbarrow, surely that is a good thing?"

Before the Bota could reply, a door opened and the Advocate's commanding voice interrupted them.

"At least you have not lost your ability to listen to the summons of your father," The man said, and when Aliya looked at him, he merely gestured for her to enter his study, though he shook his head when the Botanist tried follow. "You aren't needed, Botanist, I'm perfectly capable of doing this myself."

The Botanist looked at Aliya with a slightly sad expression before turning away as the doors of the study shut, leaving Aliya alone with her father. Turning his stern and calculating gaze onto her, the Advocate prepared himself to talk while Aliya prepared herself to listen, or at least pretend to.

"Cardinal Borusa has informed me that you were caught fraternising with that Lungbarrow boy," He began, "What was his name? Sigma?"

"Theta Sigma, father," Aliya said quietly.

"Stupid name," came the comment before the man continued, "But regardless, I will not have my daughter, an Arpexian young lady, fooling around like a childish trollop!" The young woman flinched at the harsh words and ducked her head, only to anger him further. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, Aliyanadevoralundar!"

"I'm sorry," She murmured.

"You are not to spend any more time with this Theta Sigma, do you hear?"

"I'm afraid that simply isn't possible, father," Aliya said firmly, doing her best to gather her strength.

"You obeyed my command to stay away from that Oakdown boy, it simply took you a while, you shall obey me on this matter also," The Advocate said in a forceful tone, but Aliya shook her head fiercely, her eyes burning with determination.

"I severed my ties with Koschei of Oakdown for my own reasons, not yours!" She retorted. "I shall not allow you to dictate how I live my life or who I spend my time with."

"Watch your tongue, young lady, and you shall heed my orders, as my daughter!" The Advocate yelled with obvious irritation and anger at her impertinence.

Aliya did her best to fight back the urge to cower before him and submit, and though her hands trembled, she stood her crowd as she locked eyes with him. "I am done heeding your orders!"

He had stuck her across the face before she had even noticed him raising his hand.

"How dare you act with such grandeur, you are an ignorant and blatantly disrespectful child!" His bellowing made every part of her want to curl up in a ball and cry, but she knew that she could show no weakness or she would have no chance of prevailing in the escalating argument.

Not really sure how to respond any other way, all she could come up with was something that Theta would say. "Thank you!" She retorted hotly.

"Do not _mock_ me, daughter!"

"Oh, and while I'm at it, I have no intentions of marrying the Defender! Someone else can create the needed tie between Arpexia and Heartshaven," Aliya spat, and she swore that a vein popped in her father's neck.

"You will marry him when you graduate, and you have no say in the matter," The Advocate's voice got dangerously low and furious, and he reached his hand out to seize her head, his finger pressing into her temple with a painful force, "And before you think of refusing me again…"

Inside her head, she felt his presence burst in without abandon, attacking her mind with all the mental power he had, which was an amount much more than her own. She tried to fight back, to use her own psychic strength to fight him back, but she couldn't hold her own against someone so much older and more powerful. Just when she thought he was going to break her mind altogether, release came as he let go of her both physically and mentally, and she felt herself drop to the floor with exhaustion, her single heart beating overtime as her hands clutched at the pool of green fabric around her.

"I…" Aliya gasped for air, trying to stop the shocked tears of excruciating pain from falling down her face, "I will not…yield. Not…today."

"Get out of my sight," The Advocate spat in disgust as he narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "You dishonour this House."

Forcing herself to her feet, Aliya lifted her chin defiantly as she met his solemn grey eyes once more. "I do both gladly." With that, she stormed out of the room, muttering a goodbye to her mother who was waiting outside worriedly.

Leaving Arpexia had never been more overdue.

* * *

Pacing was something that grew tedious very quickly, Theta Sigma decided. After pacing, he tried just sitting, then standing, before finding pacing was still the most interesting of the three, not that it was saying much.

Just when he was sure he was going to go mad from lack of _something _happening, the transmat flared up to reveal an ever so slightly dishevelled, upset Aliya. Upon seeing him she catapulted herself into his arms without hesitation, crying for what looked like not the first time that day. Also not for the first time, Theta felt anger rise in him when he spotted bruises at both her cheek and left temple, but said nothing on it, merely hugged her tightly.

"Let's get you back to your room," He murmured, and she nodded silently and let him lead her back there. Once they had arrived, he gently took out her hair and got a cloth to dab on her face where she had obviously been struck by something – or more likely someone, and he had a fair idea of who it would have been, as it would be an almost direct repeat of a previous event.

"I stood up to him," Aliya said after a while when they were sitting in the middle of her bed, their legs on either side of each other and palms on the other's chest, "Properly, for the first time ever."

"I'm proud of you," Theta smiled and pushed her hair back, "The girl I met all those decades ago never would have done that."

"You're making me a braver person, it's as simple as that," The blonde suddenly hugged him again, "Stay again, tonight, every night, please…I don't ever want to have to sleep without you next to me."

The boy laughed lovingly and kissed her. "I'm glad you asked, because I don't ever want to sleep without you next to me either." Aliya's face lit up as if she weren't able to believe just how lucky and privileged she was to have him and his affection, and she kissed him again several times, pausing in between to laugh with relief and elation. Their lips parted, but Theta kept his forehead resting against hers gently, and they sat there, holding each other's head, nose to nose. Both of them felt their eyes drooping shut as the partial mental link formed, and they basked in the sensation of the other's presence in their mind.

"You've been imagining me without a shirt on," Theta said after reading some of the thoughts that had recently been at the foreground of her mind, and he felt her cheeks grow warm beneath her palms.

"You've been imagining me with _nothing _on!" Aliya spluttered indignantly, and he laughed, his breath hitting her parted lips.

"But I'm a man." She felt him both physically and mentally puff out his chest, doing his best to exude masculinity and maturity, but she simply broke away from him, laughing at him in a not-so-supportive way before she leaned into his chest. His eyes snapped open as they fell back against the pillows, her quiet giggles still filling the room.

"You're a boy, Theta, just not a young one," She grinned and he reluctantly chuckled too, "You overestimate yourself far too much."

"As do you!" He retorted only for her to smile again, rolling over so that she was lying in the crook of his arm, her head on his chest contently.

Tilting to look down at her, his head rested on its side as he lazily smiled and tucked another strand of hair behind her ear. Stubbornly, she did the same to him, making him laugh and earning her another affectionate side-squeeze. Their eyes met, the dark green getting lost in the depths of the deep blue and medium green, and vice versa.

"You're the most ridiculous and arrogant person I've ever met," Aliya said after a while, but it was not an insult, but a strange sort of compliment.

"Why thank you!" He just grinned as he watched her play with his fingers intently. Slowly, as if her mind wasn't completely made up, her head twisted up to look at him, regarding him with newfound realisation and wonder.

"I love you," She blurted out, and immediately clapped her hand over her mouth, taking in a huge breath to fill the air she'd mysteriously lost.

His reaction was immediate but strange. "Of course…" He laughed, "I love you too, Ali, it's just taken you a long time to realise it because you're stupid."

Aliya, who had buried her face in his waistcoat, sniffed before looking up at him with eyes full of shining tears of happiness. "You're stupid," She mumbled before looking down again, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself.

"Your comebacks astound me, oh supposedly wise one." He smirked at her and she glared at him, not realising it was the look that made her look – to him – a lot more adorable than cross, and that she was not threatening in the least.

"I'll comeback you in a minute," Her second and equally pathetic answer was met by him laughing and pressing a kiss to her hair. After a couple of moments of silence, he unwound his arms from around her and jumped off the bed only to offer his hand to her.

"Can I show you something?" Despite her initial moment of hesitation, Aliya slid off the bed and grabbed his hand, throwing him a questioning look.

"What are you showing me, exactly?"

"Just wait and see."

Twisting through corridors stealthily, running because it was fun and against the rules, laughing because they could, Theta and Aliya ran towards the archive libraries, and barged through the different sets of doors until they reached Theta's personal favorite, the Earth archive. The door banged shut behind them as the boy yanked his younger friend over to the hexagonal controls in the middle of the room, which were currently projecting a beautiful blue, green and white image of the planet.

"Now, one of the best things about Earth is the music, Ali! And even better, the dancing!" He rambled, arms going everywhere in his enthusiasm. "And one of my favorites is the waltz. My surprise is that I'm going to teach you."

"You want me to dance with you?" Aliya echoed only for him to nod. As they had danced before, the idea shouldn't have seemed so strange, but the casual way they had been dancing amongst their peers was incredibly different and far less intimate than a dance for two in an empty room.

"Yes, I really do, please," Theta asked with a huge grin from over his shoulder as his fingers danced over the controls and music began to come out of the speakers around the walls of the room. From what she knew of music, she recognized three beats in a bar, the first one always strong.

"This is pretty..." Aliya murmured, and before she knew it Theta had snatched her up, his arms around her waist. "Now, to warn you, I'm not the most coordinated person."

"This will be as easy as breathing by the time I'm done with you," The boy assured her, "Now, put your hand on my shoulder, and take my hand." She did as he instructed until their hands were clasped, his other at her waist and hers on his shoulder. "Now just step in time with the music...one two three, one two three..."

Letting herself be led by his confident feet, Aliya tried to get a feel for the moves with little success. Being the supportive friend he was, laughing at her was apparently the only plausible option he could see.

"Okay, try this instead," His arm snaked around to get a firm hold of her lower back before lifting her up so that her feet rested on top of his. "Now you can get a feel for the movements without having to think about it too much."

This time when they moved, Aliya just let him practically carry her, feeling supported by his arm at her back. Also, she preferred it because they were a lot closer than before and she could rest her head against his chest.

"Let's just dance like this all the time," She murmured, and instead of the laugh she expected, Theta merely held her tighter.

"I know...it's gentle," They slowly spun around, not going anywhere but not caring in the least.

"And warm," Aliya added as she wound her arms around him more, letting his body heat transfer through to her a little.

"And soft," Theta's nose was in her hair and his hand was slowly stroking her back through the material of her dress. When she flicked her eyes up to look at him, she blushed a little. After planting a light kiss on the rounded tip of her nose, Theta lifted her off his feet and held her at arms length before laughing at her disheartened expression.

"What was that for?"

"Because while that kind of dancing is really nice, doing faster ones with more complicated steps are much more fun," Theta said, and put their hands back into the traditional places of the other's body, "And if you like, I could always put the moves into your head, then you would pick them up faster."

Aliya nodded and shut her eyes as he lowered his forehead to hers, fingers flying to sit at her temples. A flow of information flooded through the opened link and the steps and feel of the dance was suddenly in her head, waiting to be used.

Although taken by surprise a little when the psychic link was suddenly broken, Aliya immediately grinned at him when he opened his eyes. Clearly pleased at her sudden enthusiasm, he mirrored her grin and abruptly pulled her into the much quicker dance, casually changing the music on the controls as they went past.

The new song was faster but catchier and it was impossible to not laugh with elation as the two young Gallifreyans stepped in almost perfect time with less mistakes than before, if only because the less experienced of the two kept her eyes on her feet. Theta, however, was having none of it.

"Ali, stop looking at your feet and keep your eyes on the dashing dude in front of you," He pretended to scold without modesty and she cocked an eyebrow at him when she lifted her gaze.

"Dude?" She repeated with confusion, and he chuckled before lifting their joined hands above their heads and giving her a twirl around, making her giggle.

"It's an Earth term...it means that I'm incredibly awesome," He told her with pride in his eyes, and she laughed.

"If you say so..." At her words, he pretended to be insulted and gave her another lot of spins until she was deliriously dizzy. "Oh gosh, no, Theta stop!"

Theta chuckled and stopped her, pulling her back into the dance. Again they moved with matched precision around the room with agile feet. Aliya began to see his point; once the moves were learnt, this type of dancing was incredibly fun.

"What do you know, Miss Arpexia doesn't have two left feet after all," The brunette boy said, and a look of confusion passed over his partner's face.

"Two left feet? Well of course I don't, I have a right one and a left one, just like everyone does!" She felt so baffled and was sure that he could see it, because he was eyeing her with endearment and leaned forward to kiss her nose again, laughing at her.

"It's another Earth term, Ali, it's a term they use for bad dancers, because obviously if someone were to have two left feet, then they wouldn't be a good dancer," He explained, and she frowned a little, not entirely convinced.

"These humans say strange things," Was all she said in the end.

"Yes, but they are almost definitely a lot kinder and a lot less stuffy than Time Lords," Theta pointed out, and she pondered his point.

"But they don't even usually live for a century, they wouldn't have much time to become pompous, I think," Aliya said logically, and tried to imagine fitting a whole lifetime into less than a hundred years, but failed.

"And that's what I want to find out, someday," She watched as his eyes travelled to the hologram behind her, his gaze distant and mind clearly momentarily gone from their conversation, "Because I am going to run away and see the whole universe and no one is going to stop me."

Aliya frowned again, seeing just how serious he was and not being sure that she liked it. "Years back you said that you would explain that to me when I was older. I'm older now, Theta, and I think that I want to understand."

Their movements had slowed and Theta brought them to a halt as he regarded her seriously, his hand still holding hers. "Okay. It might take a while, though." He led her out of the archive by the hand and up through the dormitory area until they were at his room. They went inside and Theta flopped down on the bed with ease while Aliya sat on the edge, watching him with indecision.

"So, you want to leave Gallifrey someday, is that it?" She asked and he nodded earnestly.

"What is there for me here, after I graduate? Can you imagine me working in an office or a lab, doing one mundane task for my whole life?" While the questions were supposed to be simply and rhetorical, they simply made Aliya frown a little as she regarded him sadly.

"It's what all the rest of us are going to be doing," She muttered bitterly under her breath before looking up at him and bringing her voice back up to normal volume, "But no, I suppose I can't. You're not exactly a typical Gallifreyan."

Theta beamed, clearly believing to have her understanding and approval. "Imagine it, though, Ali! There is a whole universe out there, just waiting to be explored. So any planets, people, creatures…how can I ignore all of that and be confined to one planet when I could see so many more?"

The blonde girl in front of him shifted so that she was properly facing him and searched his face for answers that didn't help her in the slightest.

"Are you really so discontent here?" Her whisper made his huge grin falter a little, and his hand came up to cup her cheek as his eyes bored into hers, searching.

"No…but the older I get, the more I begin to feel like a caged animal. Animals are not made to be caged, they should be free, don't you think?" Theta asked, his large green eyes more serious than before, but equally passionate in the words he was saying.

She had to force herself to laugh at the analogy, simply because she wasn't sure what her alternative reaction might have been. "Which animal would you be? A Flubble?" Her teasing made him smirk and he began tickling her relentlessly.

"Again you belittle my masculinity, Aliyanadevoralundar!" He declared as she collapsed onto the bed on her side, fruitlessly trying to deflect his hands.

"My father calls me Aliyanadevoralundar, please don't, stick to Ali or Aliya," She gasped as he continued to torture her. Suddenly he stopped to continue his metaphor about caged animals and she propped herself up on her elbow to regard him with fond amusement.

"If I were an animal, I would be a wild horse, running through fields and mountains for miles, my mane billowing in the breeze…" He trailed off dreamily, and she couldn't resist reaching her free hand up to ruffle his long hair.

"Well, you've certainly got the mane part right!" She giggled as he swatted her away, mock glaring as he patted his hair back down vainly. "But honestly, did you really just use the word 'billowing' in conversational speech? Who does that anymore?"

"Me!" Theta protested indignantly. "You youngster types wouldn't understand."

"Youngster?" She near shrieked before calming. "Fine, two can play that game…old man!"

The tickling war started up again as he pounced on her. "I. Am. Not. Old!" They rolled around on his bed in a giggling, squealing mass, loving every second of it, "I'm only about 200 years older."

"So don't call me youngster."

"So don't call me old."

"I won't."

"Good!"

"Yeah, it is!"

"Oh, shut up."

"Why should I – Mmph. Mmm."

"What do you know, girls do have off-switches, they're operated by kissing."

* * *

**Bahaha their banter is so fun. :D**

**So Aliya grew a bit of a backbone in this chapter, yay! Though, it's not really going to grow that much more, her first incarnation is too gentle by nature.**

**Love you all,**

**-MayFairy :)**


	9. Mariaka

**THIS STORY IS NOT DEAD! I've realised that I really need to kick up the movement on this story, so there is not going to be another bloody 17 month gap between updates. I really am very sorry about that, Deafening Silence has been taking up my time. But now it's finished and the sequel, In Between the Shadows is going to be up within the week, so keep an eye out for that! **

**This chapter is important - if somewhat short, sorry - because we get to meet the Doctor's mother! She's pretty important later on and will be mentioned in IBTS on several occasions, at least one referencing her appearence in TEoT. Obviously I had to give her a name, I just hope you like it. I've had a lot of fun with her character so I hope you like my interpretation of her. The Doctor's father is in here too much he is somewhat less important in my opinion. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, hopefully there is still actually people reading this, haha. **

**Enjoy! **

* * *

"Theta, I'm nervous."

The two young Gallifreyans stood in the entrance hall of Theta's home, one of the smaller, quainter states of Lungbarrow House. The blonde girl was tapping a four beat rhythm on her hand. The brunette boy had been looking towards the door that led to the rest of the house, but when his counterpart spoke, he just gave her an easy smile.

"You have no reason to be."

Aliya opened her mouth to say something but that was when the door opened. A woman with greying brown hair and warm brown eyes came through it, and immediately she beamed, her skin crinkling slightly at the eyes as she did so. It made her look like Braxiatel, although Aliya had only seem him smile once.

"Theta," She said, opening her arms and letting him meet her halfway before the two of them shared a tight hug, "It has been too long."

"Hello Mother." The affection in his voice was audible.

When she finally released him, her eyes fell on Aliya, who smiled nervously.

"So you're the one who has kept him too busy to visit me," She said with a wry smile. When the blonde began to stammer an apology, however, she chuckled and shook her head. "Oh no, my dear, I meant no accusation. I have wanted to meet you for a long time. He talks of little else."

"Oh," Aliya said, glancing at Theta, who blushed.

In accordance to Time Lord tradition when it came to first meetings, the older woman gave a small bow to the younger female. "Mariakanelyari of Blyledge." Although Time Lords resided in the houses of the person they married and their children carried the House of their spouse, they always kept their origin. Which person in the couple had their House be the 'dominant' House was to be decided between them. Often political marriages were arranged so that the female joined the males house, however. But Blyledge was a very old House that dated back to before Rassilon...that was certainly unexpected.

Aliya was quick to bow back. "Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia, my Lady."

"And now that we have formalities out of the way..." Mariakanelyari kissed her on both cheeks and clasped her hand tightly. "I am so very glad to meet you, Aliya." Her use of the nickname made the girl glance at Theta with surprise. "And please, call me Mariaka."

"So you are where he gets his nicknames from," Aliya said as she was led by hand through to the recreation room, which consisted solely of comfy chairs and a Sepulchasm board. The three of them sat down as the Time Lady considered the younger female's comment.

"Yes, I suppose I am," The brunette said wryly. "Is that good?"

"I believe you know the answer to that, my lady," The blonde said with a small smile, making her elder laugh.

"Well, Aliya, Theta tells me that you excel at Mechanics and are rather good at Engineering."

"Yes," Aliya said slowly, "I am."

"Will you pursue it?"

"I believe so. It is enjoyable and would be honest work. Not as glamorous as politics but I have no such interest."

"No one in this house does either," The woman said with a smile. She resembled Theta, especially in the eyes despite their difference in colour, "I am truly curious, however, as to whether you have been a good influence on Theta or whether he has been a bad influence on you."

Aliya and Theta laughed in unison and he grabbed her hand. "I think a bit of both."

"Ah, so our guest is here."

The two youngsters turned around to see a man standing behind them. He was young in appearance, not much physically older than his younger son. His hair was dark brown and long, pulled back into a long, elegant ponytail. His dark eyes were serious but not unkind.

"Father," Theta greeted cordially with a nod of his head.

"Theta," His father responded. "You look well." His gaze then shifted to Aliya, who had gotten to her feet as they spoke. The man bowed to her. "The Elder." His House was obvious and did not need to be mentioned.

"Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia," Aliya said as she dipped in a bow to match his. "Thank you for having me in your home."

"Think nothing of it," He said with a small smile. "I am...curious indeed to meet the girl whom my son cannot stop talking about."

"I'm afraid that I may disappoint, my Lord Elder, as I find your son to be far more interesting than I could possibly be." She glanced at Theta, he rolled his eyes but smiled all the same.

"My son _is _an interesting act to follow. But I have never faulted his choice of company before, and I do not expect that to change with you."

"Elder," Mariaka said mildly, shooting him a look, "Would it kill you to pay a direct compliment for once?"

Her husband just shrugged as if he had been expecting such a reprimand. "Very well. Aliyanadevoralundar, I believe you have been a good influence on my son, and for that, I thank you. Now, if you will excuse me, I must get back to my work." He left the room.

Theta just shook his head. "He never changes."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Just a fact," The boy answered vaguely.

"A trait you both share," His mother said pointedly, "The only difference I have seen in you over the last century is how you no longer seem very close to Koschei. I thought you two were inseperable."

Both Aliya and Theta frowned slightly, but it was the latter who spoke. "I have my reasons. He has changed dramatically."

They made some idle talk after that for a few minutes before Mariaka was very frank. Her eyes were cautious when she asked her next question. "And what of marriage? Are you free to marry Theta if you wish?" Both youngsters blinked with surprise and Theta shut his eyes as if the question pained him, while Aliya merely frowned.

"No, my lady, I am not," She forced herself to say. "I wish I were." It was very forward, and a somewhat uncomfortable topic.

The woman just nodded. "From Arpexia, it is expected. To whom are you betrothed?"

Surprised at her calmness and all too aware of Theta's pointed silence, Aliya answered, "The Defender of Heartshaven." Again, she got a nod for an answer at first.

"Well, it may please you to have someone tell you in complete honesty that he is a good man. From a distance, a little cold, but innately good. He will do right by you," Mariaka told her.

With that, Theta abruptly got up and left the room, heading out towards the balcony that looked out over the red grass which stretched out back towards the Citadel. The estates of the Houses curved in a circle around it, all facing inwards.

Aliya frowned, while Mariaka just sighed and didn't look surprised.

"Perhaps you should not have brought up my inevitable marriage."

"In my experience, my dear, sometimes one must be faced with losing something before they are prepared to fight to keep it." It took a moment for her words to sink in, but when they did, Aliya had to stare at her.

"But...there is no way out of it. He might fight but it could only end in misery," Aliya said earnestly, still stunned that she was implying what she was.

"If you say so. But my son has never been very good at giving up. I have heard him speak of you for decades, and only needed to watch him with you for a minute to confirm how he feels. Do you feel the same way?"

The blonde girl nodded. "I love him with everything in me."

"Then at least consider your other options."

"There are no other options."

"There always are." Mariaka got to her feet. "If you will excuse me for a minute or two, I believe that I need to talk to my son." She went out on the balcony.

* * *

Theta stared out at the magnificent view of the Citadel. It did nothing to calm the storm inside him. He felt angry and somewhat betrayed, and hurt...as well as premature loss.

"I like her," His mother's voice said from behind him. He just narrowed his eyes and did not turn around.

"And yet you are happy enough to spin her tales of a happy life married to someone else," Theta muttered, "Of all the things I expected today, this was not it."

Mariakanelyari came to stand by his shoulder. "I merely spoke the truth. The Defender is a fine man. And with enough inner nobility that I believe she would be happy with him." Theta's hands balled into fists. "However...he is a stranger to her. And you are the one that she wants."

"What?"

"That is the difference. Her marriage currently means that she must hope for someone who may make her somewhat happy. But life should be about choosing the person that you know will, and the person that you would give anything to make happy."

He looked at her with wide, confused eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

"I cannot make your decisions for you, Theta," She said gently, her hand covering his, "But to give up without trying is very unlike you."

"She is betrothed! I have no claim to her, Yari," He said softly, his voice full of melancholy as he used the name he had called her in his childhood. "But the thought of losing her to a stranger is one that I can't bear."

"There are always other options. Always. You just need to want them enough to look for them."

Not long after his mother went back inside, the girl they had been discussing came to join him at the balcony railing. He looked over at her, taking in the face he was so accustomed to, the eyes that so often shone with affection or amusement, the lips that he loved to make curl into a smile.

Currently, the eyes were looking at him with uncertainty.

"I hope you didn't get cross with her," She said quietly, as she let her gaze drift out to appreciate the view of the Citadel. "She asked a simple question."

"She only just met you, she hardly has the right to bring up your marital status."

Aliya's hand touched his lightly. "Theta, it's hardly a secret. You have known it from the beginning."

"It didn't feel real before…not until you said that you couldn't marry me," The dark haired boy said, his voice conveying his hurt.

"I wish that I could."

"So do!" Theta whirled to face her. "Marry me. Go to your father and ask to marry me. Lungbarrow may not have the wealth but our lineage is perhaps the purest of all. It is still a prestigious match."

"I have already!" Aliya said abruptly, making him halt. "I asked if it were possible to marry someone else if their House was not below me, and he stated that it was a specific match to ease a tension between our Houses."

"But you didn't specifically ask to marry me."

She shook her head sadly. "Theta, he doesn't care about my wishes. To him, marriage is political." Her brow furrowed. "I don't want to discuss this with you, it's too painful."

"But you don't want to marry someone else."

"Of course I don't."

"Then let me think of an alternative option. Somehow, I will. And if I do…" He took her hand. "Will you trust me and do it? If I found a way for this…" His thumb brushed over her knuckles while his other hand cupped her face, "…for this to last past graduation?"

Her lips twitched in a soft smile. "Theta, if it were possible, I would want this to last for our entire lives."

"Well, we've got half a century or so to work it out. Give me that. I'll make a plan, I promise," He said intently, and for the first time, he saw a flicker of hope in her eyes.

"Okay," She said, and his hands planted themselves back onto the railing of the balcony.

"Good. I wasn't having any more of that nonsense. " He hoped she couldn't hear how shaky his voice sounded. When he turned to look at her, she just leaned in and kissed him so gently that for a second it almost felt as though he imagined it.

"I love you," She whispered, before kissing him again, briefly this time, "And when – if - I marry him, that won't change. I will _always _love you. Until my last breath." He crushed his lips to her with desperate force, holding her head in his hands as he did so. And when, after a long time, they pulled away, her finger immediately brushed away the one tear that stained his cheek. "Let them try and give me to someone else. But marriage is not ownership and I will not change hands like a possession. Even if I sit in a house with him and…lie in a bed with him…I will never be his."

"No," He said, shaking his head, "You won't. Because I'm going to have a plan."

* * *

"So, all of a sudden he is against your marriage?"

Ushas had allowed Aliya into her laboratory on the grounds that she remained on a stool by the bench and didn't touch anything.

"He has known about it since he met me. And now all of a sudden, he has decided that he wants to change it. But he can't." Aliya just sighed. "It's impossible."

"He's never been one for following the rules."

"This is different. It's not a rule, it's a formal engagement! He can't just break it!"

"But if he could…would you want him to?" Ushas arched an eyebrow and gave the younger girl an inquiring look. Aliya just frowned.

"I…I don't know. Obviously I want to marry him instead, but it's not that simple. We'd never be allowed, the repercussions would be too great."

"Too great to be exchanged for lifelong happiness?"

For that, she had no real answer.

* * *

When she received a message from Theta to meet him in the Academy gardens, Aliya wasn't entirely sure what to expect. So when she found him grinning from ear to ear and practically dancing for joy, she had to smile with him just because it was such a pleasant sight.

"Two and a half decades, it took me, but I've got it!" He exclaimed suddenly. He caught her up in his arms and pulled her into an odd manic dance in circles, and she laughed.

"What?"

"I've got a plan," He said, "You won't have to marry him. We'll be together, I promise."

Torn between elation and reason, she just stared. "What's the plan?"

He shook his head. "A secret. You just have to trust me."

"Theta, this is a huge thing, I cannot simply just-"

He put his finger to her lips to silence her. "Please. Just trust me."

She regarded him for several moments. He was so earnest, so sure. So she took his hands and gripped them tightly. "I will…if you can tell me that this plan isn't something which means we will be dealing with everyone here hating us or punishing us for it for centuries." For whatever reason, he grinned.

"That I can tell you with complete certainty, Ali," He replied, squeezing her hands slightly.

"Okay then." She hugged him tightly and then kissed him. It was then that she realised that despite all of her words, she had actually been hoping that he would come up with a plan. That she was desperate to not marry a stranger and to instead be with her best friend forever. "So when am I going to find out about this plan?"

"Right before it happens," He said, chuckling, "Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise."

"And you're sure that you want to risk leaving it that late? What if I disagree?"

Theta just kissed her forehead and grinned again. "Everything is going to be fine. Don't worry. It will work and we'll never have to worry about this again."

With how he was looking at her, with the utter certainty, she couldn't argue. All she could do was believe in him and hope that he was right. "Looks like you won't have to worry about me getting married, then."

That made him beam at her and he pulled her into another rowdy dance around the gardens.

* * *

**And this is where a lot of the fluff is going to end, I'm afraid. I was going to drag it out but I'd now rather get on with the rest of the story. But, in other news...in the next chapter of this, we are finally going to meet the Defender! Who, in three years, actually hasn't made an actual appearance in this series so time for that to be rectified. **

**Let me know what you think of Mariaka, and it's great to be back to writing these two because they are so cute! It's shame I'm about to rip them apart...ah well. *shrugs* I can't go without angst for long, this is me we're talking about. **

**Love to you all, hope someone is still with me! **

**-MayFairy :) **


	10. The Defender of Heartshaven

**It took me literally two days to write this chapter. That has to be some kind of record. If only I were this determined and productive all the time. **

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! :D **

**Here we have the beginning of trouble for these two. Although there is some major fluff in here still, there is also their first ever proper disagreement, and most important...THE DEFENDER AT LONG LAST!**

**It's only taken me three years for him to finally make an appearance in person in this series. Talk about a milestone. **

**Enjoy him and let me know what you think!**

* * *

Three years later

Upon returning to her room, Aliya found a letter on her dresser. The Shabogan servants who cleaned the rooms were also charged with delivering private mail, so it would have been left there when her room was being cleaned in the morning.

She turned it over curiously in her hands. The seal was that of the House of Heartshaven. She went still and her hands slowly broke it and removed the letter. The circular words written were neat and made with bold but very deliberate - almost careful - strokes. The first few words confirmed her suspicion and she bit her lip as she moved to sit on the edge of her bed before rereading the beginning and then continuing.

_To Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia, daughter of the Advocate and the Botanist,_

_I confess that this letter is long overdue. As your betrothed of several centuries, we should have had communication long before now. I wish to remedy that as soon as possible. _

_I am aware that you graduate in a little over two decades. It is not as much time for two people intended for marriage perhaps should have to acquaint themselves with one another, but some receive not even that. I can imagine that for someone of your age, a political marriage may sound rather daunting. I hope to perhaps make the drastic change easier for both of us._

_Would you be adverse to a meeting in person between the two of us? I could come to the Academy, or if you are interested, show you the estates of Heartshaven. _

_Sincerely, the Defender of Heartshaven_

Conflict and indecision raged through Aliya's protesting singular heart. Her fingers grazed over the circles and dots as if touching them would help her comprehend her feelings towards their contents.

After all these years, after two centuries or so of knowing but not seeing or hearing or meeting, the Defender had always been an unknown element in her life. A looming, frightening element, but an unknown element all the same.

But now...here was something tangible. Words from him were in her hand, words from him to her.

But did it matter? She loved Theta, who had come up with his big secret of an escape from the marriage that had suddenly become a lot more real. How could she meet the Defender, knowing that in two decades she was going to take part in a plan which would ensure that the marriage would never take place?

She needed advice. She needed someone she could be honest with, who would understand and not impose their own beliefs and wishes on her like her parents would. Theta, despite being her best friend, was out of the question for obvious reasons. He couldn't know about this, not before she had made her mind up about what to do. This was her decision and hers alone.

With a jolt, the answer came to her. Mariakanelyari. Theta's mother. She had spoken kindly and honestly of the Defender but would also know of her love for Theta. She was exactly who she needed to talk to.

* * *

Mariaka had responded positively to the letter Aliya had sent her containing an ambiguous request to visit their Lungbarrow estate and discuss a serious matter with her. So five days after receiving the letter from the Defender, Aliya stepped out of the transmat that had just taken her to Theta's home.

"There you are," Mariaka said as she entered the room and smiled at her, "Come through to the living area. You look well, but troubled."

"You look well, but more tired," The blonde said. It was true. While her face and body remained the same, there was age and weariness in her eyes.

"Yes," The Time Lady replied with a small smile, "This is only my second body, you know. It's lasted me about three centuries or so. But given some of the things it's gone through, the fact that it is now wearing thin is unsurprising indeed."

"I wish you the best of luck with regeneration." Discussing regeneration wasn't exactly unusual, but it wasn't something one discussed with a stranger. Being at ease mentioning it around one another gave Aliya confidence that she had chosen the right person to confide in about her dilemma.

Mariaka hesitated for a moment before clasping the girl's hand in hers. "What is it that you wished to discuss with me?"

Aliya reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out the Defender's letter. "I received this five days ago." She let the other female take it and quickly read it. By the time it was handed back to her, Mariaka's brown eyes were sympathetic and understanding.

"I see," She said gently. "How do you feel about it?"

"How do you think?" Aliya couldn't keep the hopelessness out of her voice. "I love Theta more than anything, and he's promised that he's found a way for me to not have to marry the Defender. How can I meet the Defender and talk to him of our future life together when I have no such intentions?"

"Is Theta sure that his way will work? I have faith in my son, but given some of his attempted jaunts in the past-"

"I know," Aliya said, shaking her head, "I trust him but a tiny part of me can't help but wonder. And so if there's even the slightest chance...then I should talk to the man I might still have to marry."

"He's a good man really," Mariaka told her genuinely, "I think talking to him would be a good idea. But if you trust Theta's plan, then you may be right that too much interaction could warrant more of a betrayal later. What _is_ his plan?"

"He won't say because he wants it to be a surprise, but promises that it will work."

She got a sympathetic smile. "That sounds like him. I'm afraid that in the end, you must decide where your faith lies, and whether you want to preserve even an unlikely future."

"I think I knew that. Thank you," Aliya said gratefully. She gave the other woman a hug without thinking, and was soon receiving one back. "I really needed someone to talk to even a little bit about this. But I think...I think I need to meet him. It seems only right that I at least acknowledge what it is I am planning to walk out on. It's not a simple decision, doing so, and I can't pretend that it is."

Mariaka nodded. "I believe that to be a good choice." Then she frowned. "Though I would recommend not telling my son just yet. I don't doubt he would not understand."

"Exactly. I should be getting back to the Academy - and writing a reply to the Defender. But thank you again."

With that she took the transmat back to the Academy and went straight to her room to compose her letter. It took her a long time to work out what to write, but she was as happy with the finished product as she ever would be.

_To the Defender of Heartshaven,_

_To receive your letter was a great surprise. After all these years I suppose I never expected to hear from you, which in retrospect sounds a little ridiculous. _

_You were correct in saying that a political marriage is slightly daunting to me. I would very much like to meet you. While I am very interested indeed in seeing the estates of Heartshaven, perhaps a meeting at the Academy could be better the first time around. How about the gardens? It's probably been a while since you have seen them yourself and the botany students have made some incredible additions to it lately. _

_Cordially, Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia_

Once she had dropped it off to be sent to Heartshaven, she went straight to the Cybernetics workshops and found Drax tinkering away at some project as per usual.

"Hey there, Ali Arpexia, what are you doing here?" He asked cheerfully.

"I was going to ask for a favour," She said sheepishly, "Because I need something done and you seem like the right man for the job."

"What job would that be, then?"

Aliya tugged on a loose curl of hair and made a face. "Some day probably quite soon, I need you to keep Theta busy for a considerable amount of time."

"Alright," Drax agreed. "But why?"

"I'm...going to be meeting with the Defender of Heartshaven, and I don't want him to know about it just yet. You know how he'd react."

Drax whistled. "Big ask. Thete is one of my best friends, and lying to him-"

"It wouldn't be lying," Aliya said quickly and earnestly, "Not really. I'm not going to keep it from him, Drax, I swear. I'd never do that to him. But I need a chance to be able to see this through without him interfering. This is my betrothal and life and I need to deal with it without him interfering, which he will. I promise that I'll tell him afterward."

The tinkerer nodded and pushed his floppy ginger hair out of his eyes. "Fair enough. In that case, I'll definitely help you with that, if you help me out now. You're specialising in mechanics, so you can give me a hand."

"I'm not _great _at cybernetics, just so you know," Aliya told him, "Also, I'm not dressed for practical work."

"Worksuits are in the other room," Drax said with a smirk. "Go on."

She sighed and shook her head, but did as he said and went into the room containing the worksuits and got changed into one, leaving her dress hanging up in there. She also removed her headpiece, took some hairbands off the shelf, and used them to tightly tie back the blonde curls which threatened to get in her way.

Then she came back and out and got to work under Drax's instructions. He was such good company that soon she was laughing at almost everything that came out of his mouth, and hours had passed before even the thought of leaving entered her mind.

"Hey, Drax! What are you up to in here?" A very familiar voice asked. Both Drax and Aliya slid out from under the engine they were working on to look up at Theta, who was standing in the doorway to the workshop. "Ali? What are you doing in here?"

"Having a great time," She answered with a grin, "Sometimes I'm so busy spending time with you that I forget that some of the other people I know are good fun to hang out with too. Mostly Drax, actually, but still."

"You…" His dark green eyes studied her carefully, and she became very aware of her worksuit and disheveled appearance.

"Look like a mess, I imagine," Aliya speculated. He grinned wolfishly and came to sit next to them on the floor of the workshop.

"Yes, but a fantastically cute mess." With that he kissed her sweetly but firmly. As he pulled away, she became aware of how attractive he himself looked in that moment. His eyes were even brighter than usual, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his tunic tight across his torso.

"You're one to talk, Sigma," She whispered, grinning at him, "It should be illegal to look as good as you do."

He grinned back at her. "I do look pretty good." She kissed him before he could brag any further.

"You two go and get a room," Drax told them with a chuckle, "I've had enough help, Ali, you're free to go."

"I should probably change back into my proper clothes."

"No, I like you like this," Theta insisted.

"I can't just leave my dress here!"

"Bring it with you. Carry it. My room isn't that far."

So they bid goodbye to Drax and ran through the corridors with her dress in their arms, giggling naughtily until they got to Theta's room and hurried inside.

"I really do like the worksuit on you," He said as he threw the dress to the floor and gathered her in his arms. "The engine grease on your face and hair is quite nice too."

"Oh no," She said, burying her face in his chest with embarrassment.

"It makes you look sexy," He whispered into her ear. His hands deftly removed the hairbands from her hair and mussed the golden corkscrews that fell free. He held her at arm's length and nodded with approval. "Yes. Completely, utterly incapacitating."

"You find the oddest things attractive," She said with a frown, "Why is a worksuit, engine grease and messy hair attractive?"

"Because it's real. It's messy and real, and that's worth more than neat beauty any day," Theta said seriously. He kissed her then, a lot more passionately than usual. His hand cradled the back of her head and hers grasped his tunic tightly. Finally, he released her and she was quick to press another small kiss to the corner of his lips. He smiled at her, but with a want in his eyes she wasn't quite accustomed to. "By Rassilon, I love you so much."

Her thumb caressed his cheek. "I love you too."

"It's days like this that I regret that agreement we made," He whispered, and her eyebrows flew up.

"You mean-"

"The one where we decided that because of your marriage, we'd never be together like that?" Theta said. He nodded. "Yeah. But I was thinking that since we've found a way around that now..."

She tilted her head. "Theta, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I'm just saying that your marriage is off the cards now." His hand had been playing with a loose curl of her hair, but suddenly it stilled and his eyes widened. "But don't think I'm asking you to - or pressuring you to - cos I'd never do that. Not ever!"

"I know," She said quickly. She grabbed his hand. "But I feel like until this plan of yours is over and done with, my marriage will never be entirely off the cards. And if there is any chance of me still losing you, then-"

"We don't want to let ourselves have what can't last," He finished, echoing their words from the when the agreement had been made. He leant his forehead on hers. "You're right. I suppose something always could go wrong. But I swear, the plan will work, you won't need to get married."

"And I believe you, I really do. But I just want to make sure that I'm covering for all the possibilities."

His fingers interlocked with hers. "Yeah. Good plan. As I say, days like this just make it hard. When you look at me and you look like this...it's hard to keep my hands off you."

She flushed but grinned at him impishly. "You don't have to keep them off me completely." She moved his hands to sit on her hips and he chuckled.

"Good," He said, his fingers gently rubbing her back, "Because it was driving me crazy."

"You think that your pretty face doesn't drive _me_ crazy?" Aliya asked. She cupped it in her hands. "Males aren't the only ones who think about that sort of thing, you know."

He groaned. "You're not making this easier."

She pulled him down for a long, tender kiss. "Sorry. But knowing that you would probably be okay with it if I changed my mind at any time...that's not easy on me."

"I've created a monster," He whispered, grinning.

"Oh no. You planted non-conformity in my head but _this _is all me."

"Have I mentioned that I love you?"

"Once or twice. Now shut up and kiss me."

So he did.

* * *

After receiving a simple reply in the affirmative from the Defender in regards to their meeting in the Academy gardens, the day for the meeting finally rolled around a month later.

Aliya had talked to Drax the day before, so he and Theta were busy exploring some of the Andromeda galaxy archives for the entire afternoon.

She, however, was standing in front of her full-length mirror smoothing her dress for the seventh time. Despite everything with Theta, the tiny part of her that knew she still might be married to the man she was about to meet wanted to look good.

She'd chosen a blue dress to match her right eye. Like almost all Gallifreyan gowns, it was high necked with a portrait neckline. The sleeves were fitted and almost tight, with gold embroidered cuffs and torso, while the skirt flared out only a little. Even with the formality of the society, nothing could be _too _impractical unless it was for actual ceremony, though the dress was more formal than she usually wore.

"And breathe," She reminded herself as she fixed her hair into the high horsetail and fixed the golden headpiece into it. Mariaka's words played over in her head and she repeated them aloud. "He's a good man, he's a good man." Finally, it was time to go. She left her room and the Academy student lodgings and walked through the corridors in a haze. Everything was a blur until she finally came to the entrance to the gardens. She walked through until she came to the center, her favourite part. There were hedges that naturally grew in perfect spirals and bright purple ferns that curled around the edge of a clear pond with the Seal of Rassilon mosaiced on the bottom.

"Aliyanadevoralundar?"

Aliya went still at the sound of an unfamiliar deep voice. Slowly, she turned around. A tall, solidly build and very muscular man stood several metres away, very formally. He wasn't incredibly handsome, but his face was comely enough, with a sort of ageless quality to it. His skin had a hint of olive to it, and his hair was dark and tidily cropped close to his head. He was dressed in a flawless golden tunic and leggings. But it was the eyes that held her attention. They were a light and bright blue and they were trained on her. In them she could see the formality she had expected, but also nervousness and a flash of vulnerability.

She wasn't the only one afraid of this meeting.

_Let it not be said that I lack manners, _she thought to herself. Immediately she swept into a quick bow.

"Yes, my lord."

He nodded curtly and bowed back in turn. "The Defender of Heartshaven."

"Really? I was expecting someone else," She said with a small smile. Confusion flashed through his eyes for a split second before understanding settled there. His serious mouth twitched for a moment. She ducked her head. "I'm sorry. Occasionally I make distasteful sarcastic jokes when I'm nervous."

"There's no need to apologise," The Defender said. He lifted his head to look at all the botanical beauties and anomalies around him. "You weren't exaggerating when you said the botany students had made some improvements."

"As the dedicated mechanic that I am, I would never exaggerate about something as serious as plants, my lord." She immediately covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, my lord, I mean no disrespect by my constant jests. They just come out."

He shook his head. "They are funny." The word sounded strange coming from his mouth, like it was a word he wasn't familiar with. "Rassilon knows, it has been many a decade since I've been around anyone with a sense of humour."

"Is...is that a good thing?"

"It has enabled me to work more efficiently, without distraction," He told her, "So in a sense, yes. But it can get a little dull after the first half a century or so. A little humour would hardly be a hardship in my life." When he looked at her, she was surprised to see that his eyes had lightened a little, and carried a minute spark that made her smile, albeit unsurely.

"Do you have a sense of humour?" She asked rather abruptly. He looked at her with a lifted eyebrow and she wished that the ground would swallow her whole.

"I believe I did once, in a past life," He answered, his lips twitching again, "Perhaps all I require is someone to help me find it again in this one."

She didn't know what to say. It would be so easy to just reply that of course she could help with that. But the words couldn't leave her mouth. She couldn't let herself make any kind of promise she didn't intend to keep. Instead she just gave him a tiny smile, which he returned rather tentatively.

"May I ask you something?" Aliya suddenly inquired. He nodded stiffly. "Why now? All these years, yet you only make contact now. What changed?"

He frowned and his blue eyes fixated on the floor momentarily before flicking back up to her face. "You are very young, which means that you appear young and vibrant. I am not young, and regeneration does not always yield the results we wish. Until three weeks ago, I was in my first regeneration, and I appeared to be old. Although our physicality hardly matters, I confess to being vain. I did not wish for your first impression of me to be someone old and withered, so I waited. Finally, an excursion off planet resulted in the body you now see before you. It may not be logical, but my waiting was as much for me as for you, Aliyanadevoralundar. I truly hope that you understand."

"I do," She said honestly, "It's perfectly understandable." She couldn't help but think that if she was going to have to marry him and...lie with him...at least he didn't look like an old man. She wasn't supposed to care, but she didn't think she could have done it. At least this body had those bright blue eyes, and those strong arms…

_No, _She thought to herself, shutting her eyes, _It doesn't matter. If it isn't Theta then I don't want to be touched, by someone who looks old _or_ young!_

"So, your job. What is it exactly that you do?"

He went on to explain that he was sent out to more primitive societies to help prevent potential conflicts like to involve Gallifrey in any way.

"But wouldn't that go against the non-intervention policy?" Aliya asked him curiously.

"No, because it's not intervention as such. It is prevention of any threat to Gallifrey. It is events that have no effect on us that are not to be intervened on."

"I see."

They discussed it for many minutes, before it was time for him to leave.

"Well, Aliyanadevoralundar, I was glad to meet you," The Defender said. His body language was still stiff and formal, but he had relaxed marginally since his arrival.

"I was glad to meet you too."

He bowed to her and left the garden. She let her composure slip once he was gone, and hurried out once she had given him enough time to leave.

* * *

Aliya had completed half of a whole temporal engineering research assignment by the time Theta finally knocked on her door early that evening. All simple academic thoughts fell away and she was back to the state of emotional distress that she had been in when she had arrived back in her room.

"Come in," She called out, tugging on her horsetail nervously. Theta entered the room with the giant smile on his face that she loved so much.

"I've had the best day, Ali! Drax and I went to the Andromeda archives, and some of the stuff in there is just incredible!" He looked like he was about to go on when he did a double take. "What's with the fancy dress?"

Aliya got up from her desk and sat on her bed, patting the spot next to her. He sat. "Theta, I asked Drax to keep you busy today."

His head turned to her, his expression surprised and bemused. "What? Why?"

Her hand itched to hold his, but she kept it on her knee. "I met the Defender today."

Immediately, he jumped up. It was like someone had flicked a switch. The cheer was gone from him and a shadow fell across his face as his eyes flashed. "What? Why in the name of Rassilon would you do that?" He asked indignantly. "Ali, why?"

"He wrote to me and requested to meet me!" She answered forcefully. "What was I supposed to do? Say no?"

"Yes!"

"We might be planning to escape this marriage, but the next of the world can't know that yet," She reminded him rationally, "If I had refused him, it would have been rude and odd. Besides, like you said, something could always go wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong," Theta said softly, kneeling in front of her, "I promise you that right now. If you have to meet him to keep anyone from being suspicious then I won't stop you. But please don't do it because you think there's a chance you might still end up married to him. I won't let that happen."

"But there is a chance, there'll always be a chance," She whispered, grasping his hands too tightly, "And it's alright for you to ignore it but I can't because it will be me that has to immediately marry a virtual stranger!"

His face twisted. "How can you say that it's alright for me? You think that just because it's your marriage that I won't suffer just as much?"

"You won't be the one who will have to _be _with someone else physically, so no, you won't!"

His fingers tightened on her forearms. "Aliya, I'd have to sit alone that night and know exactly what you were doing with him, and imagining the worst. Imagining the two of you just going through the motions...or even worse. Imagining you enjoying it."

"He's not you, I never would."

For a long moment, they just stared at each other. Finally, Theta ducked his head.

"I just can't believe that you don't trust me. I've told you time and time again that my plan will work." He lifted his chin and stared at her with eyes shining with betrayal and tears. "You don't trust me. After everything, you don't trust me."

"Theta, that's not-"

"What's the point of any of this if you don't trust me?!" With that, he stormed out of the room, leaving her half in tears and wishing she could just believe in him 100% instead of the 97% she was sitting on currently.

* * *

It took her two months - two agonising months of practically no contact with Theta - for her to properly think their situation over and realise that she needed to trust him, and that in fact, she did. Completely.

Aliya knocked on the door to his room and waited. When it swung open, she immediately launched herself right into his arms and hugged him for all she was worth.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," She said earnestly into the thin material of his undershirt, "I should never have doubted you for a second. You say that your plan will work. You say that it means we can be together. And…" She lifted her face to look him in the eye. "I know that you would never say that lightly. I just think I'd feel better if I knew what the plan was."

"It has to be a surprise. You knowing would...complicate things. Trust me," He replied, brushing a loose curl back behind her ear.

"Okay," She said, smiling up at him. He beamed from ear to ear and shut the door as he pulled her further inside.

"Thank you," He murmured into her neck, hugging to him tightly, "I won't let you down, I promise."

"I know. You never have and you never will," Aliya said with utter confidence, "And I'm a horrible friend to ever think you would." She kissed him softly, stretching up on her toes so that she could reach. "I was just so scared of losing you."

"You won't," He promised. "Never." He kissed her forehead. "I'll always be with you." He kissed her eyelids one at a time. "And Rassilon himself couldn't make me leave your side." She smiled at him and he kissed her full on the lips, cupping her face tenderly as their lips moved in tandem.

"I love you," She breathed against his lips, "So much."

"I love you too."

* * *

Five years later, Aliya walked with the Defender through the estates of Heartshaven. In particular, the one belonging to him, where it was planned that they would live together.

"What do you think?" He finally asked her. She had been silent for most of his tour. She looked at him and smiled slightly.

"It's beautiful here. And the facilities are more than agreeable."

He seemed pleased. "I'm glad that you think so." He paused a moment. "You seem considerably more quiet today."

"I don't mean to be," Aliya said to him apologetically. She could barely look at him without feeling guilt over what she was going to do to him in seventeen year's time.

"I am aware that I am not your first choice for marriage," The Defender said suddenly. "I know of the Lungbarrow boy. I wish to express my...sympathies...that it is not Lungbarrow and Arpexia that require a marital peace."

She looked at him with wide, surprised eyes. "...thank you. Most people would not be so considerate to even think of it to be worth mentioning. Even then, most would consider it a dalliance."

"From what I have heard, it is far from a dalliance."

"It is," She admitted, and looked at him curiously. He stared back with an even gaze.

"I assure you, I make no judgement. Such affections are hardly criminal. I have faith that you will do what is needed of you in the end."

"I'll do my duty," She said firmly, getting an approving nod from him.

_But to my heart, not to my House._

* * *

**I swear, writing that last scene with Theta and Aliya almost caused me physical pain. Oh Aliya, you are so horribly wrong...if only your older self could tell you just how wrong. But there's only one way you're gonna learn. **

**But far more importantly, what did you think of the Defender? Is he how you imagined him? Do you think he's not bad really or that he could get nasty under the right circumstances? Let me know in a review, thanks! :D **

**Expect an IBTS update soon too, I'm on a roll with that as well. Much love to you all!**

**-MayFairy :) **


	11. To Crash and Lose Faith

**This chapter. Just wow. I am so, so sorry. But this is where it all plummets south. And so the angst begins, and the event that will result in a centuries long grudge will occur. **

**Thanks to all who have reviewed! **

**"What If" by Safetysuit is undeniably the song for this chapter. Give it a listen before or after and you'll understand. I'd say enjoy the chapter, but...yeah.**

* * *

_Got it all figured out inside of my head_

_There's a bag packed up at the foot of my bed_

_You say the word, baby I'm all set_

_We'll cover our tracks, tell a couple white lies_

_Make sure we got a good alibi_

_And by the time they catch on, we'll be outta their sight_

_Long gone, baby_

_Let's get out of this town tonight_

_Nothing but dust in the shadows_

_Gone by morning light_

_Somewhere we won't ever get caught, ever be found_

_Baby, let's just get out of this town_

_**Get Out Of This Town - Carrie Underwood**_

* * *

_What if it makes you lose faith in me, _

_what if it makes you question every moment you cannot see_

_And what if it makes you crash and you can't find the key_

_What if it makes you ask how you could let it all go_

_And if this be our last conversation_

_If this be the last time that we speak for a while_

_Don't lose hope and don't let go_

_Cause you should know_

_If it makes you sad at me_

_Then it's all my fault and let me fix it please_

_Cause you know that I'm always all for you_

_Cause you know that I'm always all for you_

_**What If - Safetysuit**_

* * *

"What are you doing in here?"

From where she was practically pressed against the glass of the window, Aliya quickly spun around. Standing in the doorway of the astrophysics classroom was Theta. His eyes were as bright with childish energy as ever, and his hair messy in a way that only served to make him even more attractive.

It wasn't until he cleared his throat and looked at her pointedly that she realised she had been too busy taking in how beautiful he was to actually form a reply to his question. She went completely red.

"Oh. I was...I was watching the rain," She said, a little sheepishly, nodding toward the window. "It's still enigmatic to me."

Theta's eyes widened with realisation. "Right. You still haven't felt it." When she shook her head, he grinned. "Come along then."

"What?"

"Come _along_, Arpexia."

Aliya covered her mouth with her hand as she started to grin. "Really? Really, though?"

"Of course!"

Ten minutes later, they had hijacked several transmats down to the base of the citadel. With help from a bit of sonic technology that Theta had been developing for almost his entire time at the Academy, it was a lot simpler than it should have been. The sonic was almost in the stage of working, and with an added ten minutes of tinkering on both of their parts, it had the small door sliding open and the two Time Lords to be bursting out onto the dirt terrain of Gallifrey's ground.

"The air feels damp, but we're still dry," Aliya noted. "We must still be underneath the curve of the dome."

They walked for over five minutes until the film of rain seemed to almost envelope them without actually touching them. Aliya looked at Theta nervously as she pulled out her headpiece and threw it on the ground. His eyes held understanding and overwhelming anticipation. He was excited because she was. Inching forward and shaking her hair completely free, Aliya shut her eyes and braced herself. Then she launched herself forward into the downpour.

The water hammered down on her like a thousand cold kisses across her skin. Within two seconds she was drenched and her hair was plastered to her head while her dress stuck to her. It was freezing but the temperature was of no importance. It was rain. And it was real.

She laughed, joyously and loudly and far longer than she should have. But she couldn't help it - so many decades dreaming of what it might have felt like had led to this. And none of it had come close.

"It's like everything bad is being washed away," She called out, leaning her head back and smiling into the fast falling drops, "I've never felt more alive." Her eyes snapped open and she squinted at him through the sheen of water between them. "Why do we shut ourselves up and away from this? It's our world. It's real and it's meant to be touched."

"The entire universe is meant to be touched, Ali," Theta said to her sincerely. With a boyish grin, he too ran into the first rainfall of the oncoming storm. "I've done this quite a few times," He admitted to her, having to yell over the thunderous sound of the rain, "With things like that, they start to be ordinary. But it's not this time. Not with you."

"Why not?"

"Because you feel it!" He also threw his head and arms back in an attempt to embrace the crying sky. "That very first time, that very first feel of rain." He grinned. "And when you feel it, I feel it."

The blonde girl grinned back and ran to his side to grab him by the forearms. "Promise me we'll do this again. After graduation. When we're old. When we've regenerated and are living new lives. Together."

"I promise."

She kissed him elatedly, grabbing him by his soaked shirt and letting the raindrops cascade along their brushing cheeks as their lips moved against each other.

"Dance with me, Ali."

Theta pulled her into a mad dance of irregular steps. It was obviously one of his own spontaneous choreography, made up of whirling pirouettes and attempted lifts that ended up with them sliding in the mud and laughing. In the end he just turned it into a sort of waltz and gripped her hand tightly.

Finally, it was time to accept that they were out of time. They trudged back into the base of the Citadel. Their clothing and hair dripped heavily and steadily onto the smooth grey floor.

"How do we get back up without leaving a trail of water behind?" Aliya asked worriedly.

"We don't. There's a utility room that I would hide out in. They use it to store spare parts that might be useful, and because some of them are sharp, the room's padded with this weird fabric. It'll have us dry in a couple of hours, and we can head back up looking a lot less conspicuous," Theta explained. He pulled her along until he found the utility room and they quickly shut themselves inside.

Aliya took a look around the room which was half full with dangerously pointy pieces of scrap metal. "You take me to the most fascinating places," She joked.

"But the rest of it is comfy." He threw himself down on the padded floor and patted the spot beside him. "We've got a couple of hours to kill before we'll be dry enough, so you might as well join me."

After only a moment's hesitation she was lying down next to him. "This is very comfortable, isn't it?" She asked him, surprised.

"Of course. That's why I suggested it." He took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of it, his expression thoughtful. "You know, apparently humans have a higher body temperature than us?"

"I think I remember that from Intergalactic Biology. But why bring it up?"

"It's just interesting," Theta murmured, his thumb still working circles across her knuckles, "Imagine touching one. They would be so warm. Maybe even hot. It would be interesting."

"Now you're just being silly again," Aliya said, with almost a scolding tone of voice, "You can't touch a human. Neither of us will ever likely get near one, unless we get a job that involves going off planet, and there aren't many."

He smiled a secretive smile that was a little unnerving. "You never know."

There was lengthy silence as she stared up at the blank ceiling above them. She couldn't help but run over several possible scenarios in her head about how the evening could turn out. Rule breaking always had such an effect on her.

"If they find us in here, we're going to be on probation for the last five years of our time here," She speculated nervously.

"They won't. Scraps get fetched at the beginning of the day, not in the middle of the night. Trust me."

The young woman inhaled deeply. "Okay." She turned over onto her side so that she could look at him. The soaking fabric of his tunic clung to his torso, and his undershirt was near transparent and revealed the outline of his subtly toned arms.

"Enjoying the view?" Her eyes darted up to his face, which wore a smug smirk. His dark green eyes were alight with amusement. Her face flooded with warmth and she knew she had turned completely red.

"Quite possibly," She said, biting her lip, "You're beautiful."

"That makes two of us." His eyes darkened a shade as they ran over the length of her body, across where her chest still rose and fell heavily from the exertion of dancing, to her hips and legs that were plastered with the golden velvet of her dress, sparing very few details of her shape. When his gaze finally returned to her face, he smiled in that innocent way of his. "But of course, I am the most beautiful."

"Obviously." She wasn't sure how serious he was being, but she wasn't stretching the truth. He was stunning.

Theta leaned in and kissed her gently. Still damp lips again moved in tandem while their bodies rotated so that she was on her back and he was hovering over her. His leg swung over so that it was on the other side of her body - and just like that, she was pinned under him, his weight keeping her down.

"Theta," She breathed, only to have his lips claim hers again, this time with more passion, more want. Her hands gripped his tunic and tried to pull it up so that she could take it off and have him in just the pale undershirt. When he realised what she was doing, he pulled away long enough to laugh and discard it himself.

"Trying to have your wicked way with me, Ali?"

"You look better like this," Aliya said with a tiny grin as her hands brushed his chest through the wet shirt. A tiny shiver went through her and her teeth chattered. "We're both freezing, though. We might get ill."

"It'll be worth it." His fingers brushed across the base of her neck. "Besides, I can warm you up."

"You didn't just say that." She groaned exasperatedly into his shoulder. "Friendship over."

"You love me really." When he grinned down at her, she could only grin back. It was impossible to be annoyed with him for more than two seconds.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can say things like that," She said seriously, and would have continued were it not for the fact that his head bent to press a line of kisses slowly and deliberately down the column of her neck. "Theta."

"You're funny when you're serious, and serious when you're being ridiculous," He was murmuring into her skin, "And you're gorgeous when you're angry. But exasperation doesn't suit you."

"Shhh," She said, and kissed him, hard. The fingers of her left hands curled in the softness of his thick locks of hair while the fingers of her right bunched his shirt up his back. His hands skimmed up her neck to cup her face. When they finally stopped for air - which wasn't for a considerable length of time due to the use of their respiratory bypass systems - Theta briefly caught a damp strand of her hair and twisted it loosely in his fingers.

After regarding the strand for several moments, his eyes moved back to her face. "You have no idea what you do to me sometimes."

Aliya, whose face was slightly pink, gave him a fraction of a smile as she eyed the proximity of their hips. "Sometimes I have a bit of an idea."

He flushed. "Sorry-"

"It's alright. We've decided to wait and I don't doubt you."

"You do make it difficult," Theta said seriously, or as seriously as he could with the tiny smile that his face wore, "But good things come to those who wait." He moved off of her and instead cuddled up to her side. "Besides, this is perfect how it is, we don't need anything more."

She smiled and wrapped her arm around him to hold him tightly to her. They both shivered, and then laughed. "Could use a nice warm human right about now," She said, and he grinned.

"See! I told you. I reckon humans could come in very handy."

"They're not tools to keep in a utility belt, Theta, they're living beings."

"Well, one day I'll meet one and we'll see."

"Sure, sure," She murmured, as usual not giving his words much credit. He couldn't really be serious about wanting to leave Gallifrey, the idea was simply too absurd. "Theta? I've got a question."

"A question? Well I don't know, Ali, that just sounds a bit ridiculous if you ask me," He said with mock seriousness. She poked him in the side and he grinned cockily at her. "No. Go on."

"With graduation coming up...I was just wondering if you'd thought of a title."

"Oh," He said, sounding surprised, "Yes. I have an idea. I was going to think about it for a bit longer before I got your opinion. But I might as well tell you now. And then if you think it's a stupid idea, I'll have more time to think of something else."

"So what is it?" She couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.

"...the Doctor."

She mouthed the words to herself. Then she shot him a slightly confused look. "Did you even take medical classes?"

"That's not the point, Ali. I don't necessarily mean like a physician. I mean it like...I want to help people. I want to make people better," He explained, with an incredible sincerity. She could tell that it meant a lot to him.

"Well, when you put it like that, then I think it's perfect," She told him, kissing him on the nose and making him smile, "You'd be perfect for that. My Theta, Lord Doctor of Lungbarrow."

He scrunched up the nose she had just kissed. "I don't care much for the formalities. Just the Doctor."

"Well, _just the Doctor_," She teased, "I think you've found yourself a title."

"Alright then," He replied, smiling, but almost to himself, with self-satisfaction, "The Doctor it is. But what about you?"

"I'm not so sure. I mean, I could just be the Mechanic, but it's so...lifeless," She said with a sigh, "I want something with...with heart and soul, and _me_. I want to help people, I want to protect people who need protecting...but how would a mechanic like me do that?"

"Does it matter? Your job doesn't define you. Your title shouldn't reflect it."

"Well, I do want to look after people who after vulnerable and need caring for...like a guardian. The Guardian. What about that?"

He frowned, considering it. "It's okay. But considering that there are actual higher beings called the Guardians, it might not be the best move."

"Good point."

"Not just the Protector?"

"It's taken, by that Mirraflex politician."

"Oh, yeah."

"Anyway, it doesn't quite sound right. I don't want to be just someone who protects, I want to be someone who watches and cares for people. Oh!" She turned to look at him with a new light in her eyes. "What about the Angel? It means the exact same thing as protector or guardian, but it just sounds more caring, don't you think?"

"The Angel," He said experimentally, before smiling, "Yes. That's a good one. You know, I think humans have a version of that word, but it means something rather different."

"Does it matter?"

He shrugged. "No." He smiled widely at her. "Well, let's hope the Doctor and the Angel are a bit more put together than we are."

"I think I'll still go by Aliya a lot of the time. I just prefer it."

"I think I'm going to like the Doctor."

And with that, they spent the next couple of hours discussing titles and potential futures, while meanwhile the rain pounded down against the glass of the citadel dome, preparing the world for a new, if incredibly damp, day.

* * *

More years passed and the year of graduation came. Aliya kept trying to learn what Theta's plan was, but he continued to refuse to divulge it. Their final exams came and went, and Aliya gained reasonably good marks while Theta scraped by with 51%, though by his elation, one would have thought he had received a double first.

Throughout the month leading up to graduation, he had continued to put off telling her anyway. He would just grin and tell her that she was going to love it, that she was going to think it was brilliant, that he would tell her the night before graduation, the night before it all happened, that he had it all organised.

On the penultimate night before graduation, Aliya could barely contain herself. After two and a half decades of wondering, she was finally going to find out how they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. Her trust in him had been solid for a long time, she had no room for doubt amongst the pure excitement. And sure enough, when she turned up outside his bedroom door that night, he beamed at her and gathered her up in a bone crushing hug, laughing loudly.

"I can't believe this is really happening," He said, unable to keep the wide smile from his face, "Sit down, sit down."

"So I'm finally going to know? Your complicated plan?" She asked while sitting down.

"But that's the thing, it's not complicated. It's so simple, that's why no one will see it coming," He told her enthusiastically. "But alright. Well, down in the TARDIS scrapyard, they have a whole bunch of old TARDISes to be repaired or salvaged. It's not well guarded, not like the new models are. I managed to get in there, and you won't believe it, but one of them is unlocked…"

She grinned, also unable to keep it away because she knew that any second she was going to hear the brilliant plan. "Let me guess, you've been exploring in it. Or stealing parts to build contraptions."

"No."

"Then what?" She laughed. "Come on, I want to hear about your plan, not about some old open TARDIS in the scrapyard."

He just laughed as well. "But that's the point! That TARDIS is our way out! Tomorrow night, after graduation, you and me can hop in it, and fly away. No one will know that we've left until we're long gone. You'll be able to disable the tracking system on it immediately. And you'll be able to fix it if it breaks."

She stared at him, unable to be sure if she had heard him right. "What?" Her smile had slipped slightly, and her heart had skipped a beat.

"That's the plan, Ali. We can run away. We're going to see the universe, and none of them can do a single thing to stop it," He grabbed her hands, his eyes holding hers as he grinned at her. "You and me. Time and space. Everything that ever existed, right there for us to see, right there for us to touch. The Doctor and the Angel, free from anyone's rules."

"Please tell me this is a joke," She said weakly as the feeling of dread set in.

"Of course it's not! As if I would joke about something as brilliant as this!" He scoffed. "You'll need to pack a few clothes, but we can start collecting alien clothes right away, build up an entire collection as we go to new places-"

"Stop it!" She shouted, making him go quiet and look at her curiously.

"What?"

"Have you gone insane?" She asked, staring at him with eyes starting to well up with tears. "We can't leave Gallifrey."

"Of course we can," He replied, looking at her as if she were highly deluded. "I've worked it all out."

"No...I won't. You know that. Every time you mentioned leaving, I made it clear how ridiculous the idea was!"

Doubt finally started to cloud his dark green eyes. "Ali...what are you saying?"

"I won't go," She said quietly, "I've never wanted to and you _should have known that_."

"But...but it's the plan."

She got up and did her best not to turn into a sobbing mess. "Well the plan is ridiculous and isn't going to work because you'll be minus a passenger!"

He stared at her as if he were seeing her for the first time. "But...you said that you wanted to be with me forever. This is the only way."

"Gallifrey is my home, it's all I know...how could I leave it?"

"Because you love me," He whispered, his eyes becoming desperate. "Because you want to see the universe."

She held out her arms helplessly. "I can see the universe just fine from here. I made it clear from the start that I didn't want to leave. You should have listened."

"But…"

"You lied. You told me that you were sure that I would love the plan," She said shakily, running a hand through her hair. "You weren't sure, you assumed because you were blinded by what _you _wanted."

"You can't say no!" He yelled. "I planned it all, I'm ready to go!"

"And I never will be!"

"I'm offering you the universe!"

Aliya covered her mouth as tears ran down her cheeks. "Well I don't want it," She whispered, and his face turned completely ashen. "I _trusted _you. I worried and you told me, you told me that I had no reason to. I didn't try and make my own plan because I had so much faith in you!"

"'Don't make this my fault, you're the reason that the plan isn't working!"

"The plan isn't working is because it's a terrible, selfish plan!" She shouted, choking out the words. "Don't you see? Now I have to marry the Defender, now we can't be together! In two days, I'll be in someone else's bed and it's all because you didn't bother to ask what I wanted."

That really got him. He stared at her with eyes full of injustice and anger. "So you would rather stay on Gallifrey and marry someone you don't love, someone who isn't me...instead of leaving Gallifrey, seeing the universe and being with me."

Her face crumbled. "Don't say it like that. Please."

"You're going to be sleeping with someone who isn't me, all because you're afraid of change," He said, having moved from upset to furious, "Well, it's good to know how much you care about me."

"How can you even-" She couldn't get any more words out because her throat was so constricted with tears. With one last, despairing look, she fled from the room and hurried back through the halls until she got to her own bedroom. She threw herself on the bed and let out everything she had been trying so hard to hold in.

With a flood of tears and a piercing scream into her covers, her world fell to pieces.

As pain and fear and betrayal consumed every part of her, her body shook and her awareness of time slipped away. Much later, when she had run out of tears and instead lapsed into suffocating silence, there was a knock at the door.

When she didn't answer, Theta came into the room anyway.

"I didn't come to try and change your mind," He said slowly, "We're never going to agree. We're both at fault and we're both terrible people and now we have to live with this."

"Then why are you here?" She asked hopelessly, staring at him with reddened eyes.

"Because if I only have two days left with you then I don't want to throw away another minute," He breathed, and when her entire body slumped and her face relaxed into a sad sigh, he climbed onto the bed with her and wrapped his arms around her body. "I love you. And I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." She curled into his body and let the familiar and comforting smell of him wash over her. Oh, she wasn't sure what she was going to do without his smell. "I love you. And that makes it hurt more than I can bear."

"Everything's going to be alright."

But it wasn't, and both of them knew that.

"Just...don't leave. Stay until the last possible second," She whispered into his neck, "You know, I think I need a Doctor."

He laughed against her cheek, but she felt the saltiness of tears there too. "No Doctors here. Just a scared, selfish little boy."

"That's okay, because he's got a scared, selfish little girl for company."

And so they lay there in each other's arms for the whole night, falling asleep and momentarily forgetting that their lives were laughing at them and planning years of misery to make up for the decades of joy that had come before.

* * *

***silently crying* Not fun to write. Okay, I lied, I got sick enjoyment out of it but gave myself majorly painful feelings. These two retards are so bloody miserable all the time. **

**Let me know what you thought in a review!**

**Love you all,**

**-MayFairy :)**


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